2013 Cadillac ATS: What's It Like to Live With?
Read the latest updates in our long-term road test of the 2013 Cadillac ATS as our editors live with this car for a year.
What do you want to know about?
- Introduction
- And So, It Begins
- Earns Five-Star Safety Rating
- Its First Road Trip
- The Gauges are Fine
- Three Across
- Bring Knobs Back
- Creaky Steering (With Video)
- How Big is the Trunk?
- Track Test
- Fancy Headlights
- Impressive Graphics
- Who's the Big Brother Here?
- Microfiber Included
- Erroneous Headlamp Fault Code
- Thrummy Idle
- Firm, but not Choppy
- Post Shutdown Drip
- Rev-Matched Downshifts
- Dual Detent Cruise
- 2013 North American Car of the Year
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Customizable Instrument Panel
- Another Electrical Gremlin
- Fuel Economy Update for January
- A Good Start
- Euroness
- Which Car Would You Choose?
- Attracting a Younger Audience
- Made My Commute Feel Special
- Magical Touch Sensitive Interface
- This Is Backwards
- Chirping Sound
- Fuel Economy Update for February
- 5,000+ Miles
- Lousy Rear-View Camera
- Road Trip to Vegas
- My Favorite Design Flourish
- Creaky Cadillac
- I'd Buy a Cargo Net
- Fuel Economy Update for March
- It's No Brougham
- XM Subscriptions
- Album Artwork on the Instrument Panel
- The Creaky Steering Is Fixed
- Searching for the CD Player
- Proud To Be an American
- Audio Review
- CUE Welcome Screen Video
- Loud CUE Startup
- Dog Report
- Satellite Controls Are Good, Not Great
- Crash Tests
- Driver's Seat Lacks Comfort
- Narrow Trunk
- Fuel Economy Update for April
- Steering Wheel Audio Controls
- Where's Waldo?
- Versus the Competition
- Weather Advisory
- Safety Alert Seats
- Pink Cadillac
- Power Steering Malfunction
- Minor Lighting Failure
- Trim Issue
- Shifters Are Good, Could Be Better
- Safety Seat Is Obnoxious
- Fuel Economy Update for May
- Celebrity Sighting
- Keeping It Clean
- Possible Recall
- Hypersensitive Driver Assist
- Unnecessary Alerts
- Hey, It's Like a 3 Series
- Manual Shift Effort
- Damaged
- Fuel Economy Update for June
- Un-Damaged
- Nevada City Road Trip, Part 1
- Nevada City Road Trip, Part 2
- Nevada City Road Trip, Part 3
- 10,000 Miles
- Rear Facing Child Safety Seat Install
- Sharp Handling
- Oil Change and Tire Rotation
- Thoughts After Two Weeks
- Rubbing Me the Wrong Way
- Automatic Brakes
- Fuel Economy Update for July
- Mountain Car
- Class Conscious
- Heads Up!
- Paradigm Shift
- No Truck Needed
- One Down
- Adapting to the Cruise Control
- The Road to Monterey
- Which Engine for the ATS-V?
- Fuel Economy Update for August
- The V6 Option
- CUE Glitches Continue
- Chosen for Its Air-Conditioner
- 15,000 Miles
- Choose a Car for Me
- Flashback Interior
- The Bat Cave
- Moving Day
- Enjoying It More This Time Around
- Squeaky Door Panel (With Video)
- Useful Combo of HUD and Gauge Cluster Display
- Fuel Economy Update for September
- Adaptive Cruise Control Can't Be Defeated
- Top IIHS Score for Crash Mitigation Technology
- Stinky Air
- Tire Pressure Monitor Issue
- Glovebox Is Too Small
- Great Seat
- Tire Pressure Monitor Issue Redux
- No Knobs, No Buttons
- Best Shift Paddles Ever?
- Fuel Economy Update for November
- Slow-Loading Traffic Data
- Oil Change Needed
- 20,000 Miles
- Drives Smaller Than It Is
- Fuel Economy Update for December
- Individual Tire Pressures
- Headlight Warning
- Last Service Appointment
- Xenon Headlight Output
- Would Have Been Better as a Pontiac
- Fuel Economy Update for January 2014
- From CTS to ATS
- Wrap-Up
Introduction
When it comes to premium sport sedans, the Germans are winning. In fact, they've been winning for so long that they've fortified their position, built a settlement and nearly blocked off all of the inroads.
But while Ingolstadt was eyeing Stuttgart and Munich was busying itself with odd hatchbacks, Detroit crashed the party with the 2013 Cadillac ATS.
Unlike previous attempts at cracking this nut, the new Cadillac ATS doesn't have any caveats. It's not bigger, but cheaper; it's not faster yet less efficient; it's not better-looking but lower-quality. The ATS is, at first blush, a real-deal competitor to the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Adding one to our long-term test fleet was a no-brainer. We wanted to know how close Cadillac got to creating a better sport sedan. As soon as they went on sale, we went out and bought a 2013 Cadillac ATS.
What We Got
The 2013 Cadillac ATS is currently available with one of three engines. The first is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 202 horsepower. It's the base engine for those who want an ATS without a big sticker price. Then there's a 3.6-liter V6 that, in this application, churns out 321 hp and a healthy 274 pound-feet of torque. It's a solid engine that produces good power, but we know this engine well already so there wasn't much to learn.
Instead, we opted for a 2013 ATS armed with GM's turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4. This engine not only returns 22 city/31 highway and 24 mpg combined, but does so while making up to 272 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The first trim level where this motor's available is on the "Luxury" which starts at $37,590, a big jump from the ATS's base price of $33,095.
And that's before we added options.
We knew we wanted this car to be rear-drive. All-wheel drive is available on the ATS, but we're in Southern California and 2WD saves us a few bucks for some other goodies. From there our list consisted of a car with heated seats (yeah, we're in California, but they're great for a bad back or a post-gym treatment), an automatic transmission (this is America and the automatic is, by far, the volume mover here) and a dark interior (that one's just preference). Finally, we needed to get a car that had Cadillac's new CUE infotainment system with navigation. Cadillac has a lot of eggs in this new connectivity system and a full year with it will answer any questions we may have on our new touchscreen future.
Ultimately, we settled on a 2013 Cadillac ATS Premium — the highest trim — with a base price of $44,895. This trim has standard CUE, driver-and-passenger eight-way power seats with memory, rear park assist with back-up camera, HID headlamps, "performance" front seats, a Bose stereo, aluminum pedals and 18-inch wheels. Heated seats were, unfortunately, an option on top of this.
To find all the goodies we wanted in a timely manner, we had to take some other features as well. Namely, the $3,200 Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise, side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, front and rear automatic braking, automatic collision preparation), the $1,050 power sunroof and the $850 18-inch polished wheels. The driver assistance package wasn't anywhere on our radar, but it is new technology that we're happy to test as long as we've got it. These systems are getting more and more common, after all.
Out the door, our 2013 Cadillac ATS Premium wore a sticker price of $51,510. Boulevard Cadillac/GMC in Signal Hill beat that, though, offering us a deal only $212 above invoice. Excluding tax, title and other fees, we paid $48,566.68 and walked out the door with our new ATS and a free iPad 3 which comes with all ATS and XTS models equipped with CUE.
Why We Got It
Cadillac has been trying to crack this nut for years with varying degrees of success, most recently with the CTS. Ultimately, the CTS fit an odd mold somewhere between the BMW 3 and 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz C- and E-Class and Audi's A4 and A6, while offering little of the driving magic or expert execution provided by the Germans.
The ATS, however, might.
In our Cadillac ATS Road Test we said, "The 2013 Cadillac ATS...is an exciting rear-drive alternative to the compact sport sedan establishment. That it's as good as it is, and that it's American-made, should be enough to bring new, young buyers into Cadillac dealers."
Well, so far so good. They've sold one to us and our long-term test begins now. We've got 12 months and 20,000 miles to see if Cadillac has cracked both the sport sedan and the infotainment nut in one fell swoop, or if it has bitten off more than it can chew.
Current Odometer: 676
Best Fuel Economy: 21.1
Worst Fuel Economy: 18.7
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 19.7
Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
My suspicion: The 2013 Cadillac ATS's ambitious CUE infotainment system was fast-tracked into production and side-stepped usability engineering. It makes MyFordTouch look comparatively excellent. My prediction: CUE will be deservedly skewered here and elsewhere for its slow response to touch, poor indexing (correspondence to where it is touched), intermittent outright crashing (pictured), illogical menus, pagination and interface, and so on. Just one night in the car and I experienced all of these. Sorry to start the blog like this for such a highly anticipated and needed vehicle, but boy, this feels so beta that it should never have made it to market in this state. It just might be a deal-breaker for many. There are a few other problems (already), but I'll leave it right here for now.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS earned a top five-star federal safety rating in the latest round of federal crash testing, according to NHTSA.
The ATS earned five stars in all federal crash test categories, including frontal, side and rollover tests.
Fifty-four new vehicles were tested in NHTSA's lastest round-up. See how the rest of the group fared on Safercar.gov.
Last weekend my father and I drove our new long-term Cadillac ATS from Santa Monica to Phoenix, AZ and back. The sedan was comfortable in Tour mode (the softest suspension setting) and its sporty personality kept the trip interesting like no Catera or Cimarron would have back in the day.
I'm still struggling with Cadillac's new Cue in-cabin infotainment system, but my complaints center around the interface more than the system's actual capabilities. Although the navigation system did take us the "long way" more than once when we were running from place to place in the Phoenix area, it ultimately got us where we were going every time. Still, entering an address with the Cad's touch screen is just more frustrating than it is in other cars.
Fuel economy was good, but not as good as the ATS's EPA ratings. Maybe this is because the car's turbocharged four-cylinder engine is still so fresh, maybe not. We averaged 24.9 mpg heading east and 28.6 mpg when heading west. For the record, the return trip west was taken at a far more leisurely pace. The EPA rates the ATS at 31 mpg on the highway.
There was much hand wringing over the dated look of the gauges in the ATS when the car was introduced to our fleet. I was kind of surprised, mostly because I had driven the car and didn't find their look all that objectionable.
Maybe it was the photos, or high expectations for a car trying to unseat the 3 Series as the de facto sport sedan of record. Either way, the reaction was all kinds of not good.
Now don't get me wrong, I prefer a far simpler setup, one with equal parts speedometer and tachometer and not much else. But this setup is readable, not overly cluttered and far from the worst I've seen.
Then again, maybe I'm saying that because the rest of the car is so good. Really, it's impressive. From the engine to the brakes to the suspension, it's dialed in very well in nearly every respect.
Note: The 2013 Cadillac ATS seats three in the rear.
Note: If you have three 6+ footers (6'2", 6'3", 6' when standing up really straight) they will not have enough headroom to allow circulation to their brains, nor will they have enough hip room to prevent uncomfortable levels of touching. Shoulder room is similarly lacking, it's best to sit slightly staggered. Note: Good legroom for the guys on the outside. (Thanks for taking another one for the team, Schmidt.)
Seriously, what's so bad about knobs? Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS' touch-sensitive center stack is unnecessarily fussy. You touch, it may or may not respond. When it does decide to acknowledge your touch, there's an associated muted 'thunk' that elicits from somewhere deep in the dashboard.
The thunk is supposed to provide some kind of tactile feedback to your touch, except it inevitably does so a split-second after you've released your touch, and sounds (and feels) more like something is wrong with the car. Like with all touch-sensitive center stacks, you still end up having to watch your finger land on the desired spot on the center stack in order to ensure you press the right thing. Totally silly.
In what way is this is better than a knob? Answer: it isn't.
This is the steering wheel of our 2013 Cadillac ATS. Kind of nice, right? It's roundish, has a bunch of buttons (more on them later), is covered in leather and via some electronics, turns the front wheels.
It also makes a HORRIBLE creaking noise when you turn it more than a few degrees to either direction. It's done this since it was delivered (I have a crummier video of the same thing when it had 60 miles) and, really, I just thought it was new plastics that needed some breaking in. Clearly I was mistaken and this is something the dealer will have to handle.
A trip to the airport yesterday seemed to be the perfect opportunity to test out the trunk in our new 2013 Cadillac ATS. It's a small car, so I was interested to see how useful it is when loaded with suitcases.
In short, it's not. As the second photo shows, I had to jam the second larger suitcase diagonally just to fit it in next to the expanded roller board. My briefcase (not pictured) fit in behind that and with a purse perhaps stuffed in the corner, we would've been full. So I suppose it fit, but this 10.2-cubic-foot space is more akin to what you'd find in a coupe rather than a sedan. In fact, most compact cars are far bigger.
I would note, however, that although the forward part of trunk is on the narrow side, the aft portion is quite wide. This should be good for golf clubs, which is something the CTS struggles with.
Our 2013 Cadillac ATS has a 272-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder driving the rear-wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
It's that last part that's of particular interest with our long-termer. You see, we've already tested the 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0, but that car - a press vehicle - had the six-speed manual transmission which costs $1,180. During that test we said, "Impossible to select a consistent engine speed for launch with wildly erratic electronic throttle calibration...Shifter rejects quick gear changes at high engine speeds...Sounds like a mess, but it drives well until you ask for 10/10ths acceleration."
Still, that car managed to get from 0-60 in 6.3 seconds and cross the quarter-mile mark in 14.5 seconds at 95.9 mph.
Will the automatic fare any better? We take our long termer to the track to find out.
2013 Cadillac ATS Track Tested
I like the way the Cadillac headlights extend up over the hood. They go almost as far as the entire wheel.
When you click the unlock button on the key fob, the lights do a little dance until they level off. And, boy, are they bright. I was parked facing the window of a restaurant and when I clicked the unlock button I think I temporarily blinded everyone in the restaurant. Oops. Sorry.
There's a more detailed picture after the jump. And I'll make you a video next time I have the keys.
We've already experienced several complete system shut-downs, but when it's working, our 2013 Cadillac ATS's navigation system impresses with amazingly detailed graphics. I can almost see the players on the field!
It's also worth noting that it alerted me to changing traffic conditions on the way to my destination, suggested effective alternatives, modified the route on the fly (and saved it) when I chose to veer off the purple line and stop at the florist.
As if we had staged it, our 2013 Cadillac ATS drips dry in front of a Cadillac CTS. Funny thing is, the supposedly smaller ATS looks at least as large as the CTS parked behind it. In fact, overall length differs by 8.5 inches, but it's hard to see out in the real world. Do you think the new ATS is going to cannibalize the aging CTS sales?
It's inevitable. Despite a semi-reliable voice-recognition system in our 2013 Cadillac ATS, sometimes we have to actually touch the touchscreen. The problem is that we filthy humans produce sebum, or oil from our skin and it gets on the screen. Luckily, Cadillac has provided an amazingly effective sebum removal system...
It's a microfiber cloth that feels like a chamois. A couple of swipes on the screen and piano black center console leave it looking pristine and far more resistant to glare.
Donna liked our 2013 Cadillac ATS's headlamps here, and I do too. They do an amazing job bending around corners with the steering input. However, they caused some sort of erroneous fault code on the instrument panel. I hopped out of the car and checked for myself...
Nope. As you can see, there wasn't a single light that was malfunctioning. Hmm. More electronic gremlins?
Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS has a punchy turbocharged four-cylinder, as you no doubt are already aware. It's quite a smooth little mill, save for one situation: idle. At idle it sends vibes through the cabin in a way that I don't recall happening in its primary German competition, the current four-cylinder-equipped BMW 3 Series.
It's certainly no dealbreaker, but it's there, and I wonder what customers whom are already skeptical of a four-cylinder Cadillac will think when they experience the ATS at idle.
Every once in a while, the traffic in Los Angeles accommodates speeds up to, and sometimes beyond, the posted limit. Here's how our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS fared on a notorious stretch of the dreaded 405 South that's a series of concrete slabs....
We've driven this stretch several hundred times, and the Cadillac ATS's suspension is definitely firm, but not what we'd call harsh. Moreover, it's the sound of the tires slapping the seams (more than the sensations) that grow tiresome. The ride is quite good and well controlled.
After driving our 2013 Cadillac ATS a few miles on a cool afternoon, we shut 'er down, and my buddy noticed "smoke" emanating from the right exhaust tip...
It was steam, actually, and condensation forming a fairly steady drip. It sure seemed like we had driven far enough to heat up the exhaust system to instantly evaporate the water, but it was evidently still quite cold.
One nice feature of our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS' automatic transmission is its ability to match revs when your command downshifts manually. Not a big deal to the average user who probably won't use manual mode after his or her first week of ownership, but for those like me that use it for engine braking or during brisk drives, it's a welcome trait.
GM installed a well thought-out cruise control system in the 2013 Cadillac ATS. When you want to set the speed in one mph increments, you bump the thumb rocker to its first detent. Push it further to the second detent and your speed increases in 5 mph chunks.
BMWs in particular have had this functionality for a long, long time, but this is first time I can recall an American car with it. It's a great feature. I wish more/all cars had it. I could do without the constantly-illuminated steering wheel text as shown above, but that's picking nits.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS sport sedan was voted North American Car of the Year by a jury of automotive journalists.
It beat out the BMW 3 Series, Chevy Malibu, Dodge Dart, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Lincoln MKZ, Nissan Altima, Scion FR-S, Subaru BRZ and Toyota Avalon.
The 2013 Ram 1500 took top honors in the truck category, making 2013 a Detroit sweep. The winners were announced at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.
What would you have voted for?
2013 Cadillac ATS, Ram 1500 Win Car and Truck of the Year Prizes
I've been reading a lot about self-driving cars lately and I learned that Cadillac is eager to get into the game with "super cruise control", which they say will come out soon. One component of that will be adaptive cruise control, which is part of the driver assistance package on our 2013 Cadillac ATS. So, until super cruise gets here, I thought I'd give the current adaptive cruise a test drive on the busy 405 freeway in West Los Angeles.
Out on the freeway, early afternoon traffic was heavy but still moving. Using steering wheel-mounted controls, I set the adaptive cruise control to 70 mph. However, the cars around me were only going about 55 mph. The radar sensors in the Cadillac monitor the car in front of me and matched its speed.
Suddenly, as so often happens in Los Angeles, another car swerved into the gap in front of me, practically grazing my front bumper. Before I could react, I felt the car's brakes slowing the Cadillac. I got an eerie sense that an unseen driver is looking over my shoulder and protecting me. The Caddy slowed and soon a comfortable gap between my car and the intruder was restored. When the driver in front pulled out of my lane my speed built again until I reached the 70 mph adaptive cruise control setting.
I decided to try to photograph the instrument panel during my test drive. The only problem was I was going 70 mph and my camera was in a bag on the passenger's seat. Being very careful to keep part of my vision on the road ahead I leaned over and began groping for the camera. But then it occurred to me that this was exactly how the technology in the driver assistance package helps. The adaptive cruise and braking systems wouldn't let me run into the car in front and cameras in Cadillac's lane departure warning system, which were watching the road markings, will tell me if I wander across the dotted line.
Reflecting on this, I realized that for my entire driving life, I've been staring at the bumper of the car in front of me. But with adaptive cruise control, the radar and cameras are watching traffic immediately ahead. This means I can broaden my view of the entire road, not just the car ahead.
Later in the test drive, I decided to test the system's ability to bring the car to a complete stop. I saw brake lights ahead as traffic came to a standstill. I hovered my foot over the brake pedal and waited to see what happened next. The active emergency braking system, which works with adaptive cruise control, sensed the stationary traffic ahead and began braking. Would it really stop in time? It's all I could do to keep my foot off the brake. But surely and steadily, the Cadillac came to a complete stop without my help. Then, when I pressed the brake, the adaptive cruise control cancelled and I was back in charge of the car.
These systems are a nice preview of what's to come in self-driving cars. Yes, I know that many people believe that these systems will just make us even more distracted. But I believe that they can be important tools. So as more cars crowd the freeways, driving at higher speeds, we need to take advantage of better technology to help us stay safe.
One of my favorite features of our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS (besides the handling) is the car's customizable instrument panel. As some of you have pointed out, the gauges themselves are kind of, well, crummy, especially in broad daylight. But where the real magic happens is in the rectangular box directly below the '80s speedometer that has three configurable display screens.
This type of thing isn't exactly new, cars have been playing this game for a while. Cadillac's, however, is super easy to use and gives the user a ton of options. You can even have the same data, like speed, displayed twice.
Some of the available options are distance to destination, average fuel economy, range, tire pressure, oil life, battery voltage, trip odometer, a blank page and posted speed limit. There's also a speed warning. I set ours to 186. Check out the video to see it all in action.
I have it set to display posted speed on the right, and current speed on the left. What's your preference?
Along with the inaccurate headlight malfunction warning that both Walton and I have experienced, our 2013 Cadillac also has another electrical gremlin. During normal use, the backlight for the PRND next to the shifter keeps fading in an out. This is happening whether the car is in motion or not and when the automatic headlights are on or off.
At first I just thought I was having a stroke, but then another editor here confirmed that the lights were indeed failing.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS has been with us since the beginning of December, and there's no doubt it's a staff favorite. Dark and sporty, the ATS looks good, drives well, and turns the heads of diehard German sedan owners.
Now with 4,000 miles on the odo, the ATS is proving itself relatively economical as well. Our best tank so far was 28.6 mpg with Editor in Chief Scott Oldham behind the wheel for a quick weekend road trip to Arizona.
Only one other tank eclipsed the ATS's combined EPA rating of 27 mpg, leaving us with a lifetime average of 21.2 mpg.
Worst Fill MPG: 18.3
Best Fill MPG: 28.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 21.2
EPA MPG Rating (City/Highway Combined): 27
Best Range: 383 miles
Current Odometer: 4,101 miles
I badly wanted to like the ATS. I really did. And after a few days of getting to know it, I do. But I wanted to crush hard on this car. Cadillac promised the Merican challenge to the mighty 3 Series, the Wreath versus the Roundel. But the ATS just doesn't measure up.
Others on staff can better articulate any of the ATS' dynamic deficiencies. To me, the 2.0-liter turbo has enough sauce to thread traffic pretty effortlessly, and get up to highway merge speed. It doesn't sound that happy doing it, but it's not a braying donkey. The smoother, quieter BMW 3 Series turbo-four gets the advantage here.
And then it's down to details. Our car's creaky steering wheel. The tacky "tech" etchings on the door panel trim. The flash instrument cluster, with its blues, reds and hot whites, which feels like less of an achievement than the classic chronometer aesthetic and backlighting of the 3 Series. There's some science in the ATS, but not much art.
CUE, meanwhile, just increases driver distraction and voice recognition alone isn't quite good enough to rely on. Cool idea, poor execution. Ford's been at this a few years already and even they haven't got it right. Sometimes you just want a volume knob.
I wanted one for the home team. And the ATS is a good car, no question. I still want to drive it. It looks sharp and it sounds solid when you give the trunk and doors a proper throw. But Cadillac should represent a legitimate American alternative to BMW, Benz, Infiniti, with no compromise. The ATS just isn't there yet.
You buy the ATS because you like something about it. You're an early adopter and dig the electronics. Maybe you like the design. Maybe you only buy American cars. But you're disappointed if you buy the ATS thinking it's a BMW. But I'm optimistic. It's the first model year and a good start. It feels like the engineers, designers and product planners are only a mid-cycle refresh away from finding their swagger, from meeting every Bavarian benchmark and then some.
It's easy pick on the ATS for a couple of its concessions to Europe, such as passenger-side fuel filler. It'd be easier if this weren't prevalent on so many GM cars. I get it, global company and all. Tuned the ATS on the Norburger and hope to sell a few there as well. Fine.
But this is Merica. I want the filler neck on the driver's side. But here's the other concession to Euroness that is pretty useful. I imagine a pass-through is required when you're trying to lure European buyers away from any German sedan. These folks take their skiing seriously and ski racks are so déclassé.
Three new black cars were parked in a row: BMW 335i, Fiat 500, and our own 2013 Cadillac ATS.
Which one would you choose?
Cadillac has spent a great deal of time over the last twenty years trying to attract younger customers. It hit pay dirt in the early part of this century when the Escalade became an unexpected hit among the young and rich.
Now that the whole SUV thing has died down, Cadillac is back to concentrating on cars again. The ATS is its latest shot at snagging younger buyers and it appears to be working. The latest sales numbers for January show that the ATS doubled its market share to 12.5%. GM also reported that 20% of ATS sales are going to buyers under the age of 35. That figure is only 10% for the rest of the vehicles in Cadillac's lineup.
The fact that the ATS is cheaper than the rest of the lineup is probably one reason why it's more popular with younger buyers. But having spent considerable time behind the wheel of our ATS, I think it's more than just price. The ATS is also the right size and has the right level of performance to compete against the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. I don't think it's going to keep doubling its market share each month, but the ATS stands a much better chance than the CTS before it of securing a sizable chunk of the segment over the next couple of years.
I took my first drive ever in the 2013 Cadillac ATS this week, and this car put a smile on my face. I really like the way it rides. It's firm, controlled, even sporty, yet there's an underlying compliance to it. It reminds me a lot of the last two generations of the BMW 3 Series (E90 and F30). That's a good thing, of course, especially since our long-term ATS is priced in 328i territory.
The steering is very good, too. It's precise with good feel. Again, like a 3 Series. I can totally see taking this sedan on a back road someday. But in that case, I'll definitely have to shift the six-speed automatic manually to make sure I stay in the power. Often during my commute, the engine rpm would fall enough that there wasn't much turbo boost to work with and the ATS felt slow. Usually, I'm all for getting the turbocharged engine, but in this instance, I'd probably get the 3.6-liter V6 if I was buying an ATS of my own.
But never mind that. A mediocre turbo four-cylinder isn't going to dampen my enthusiasm for the small Cadillac's excellent chassis.
One of the most jarring features of our 2013 Cadillac ATS is the touch-sensitive interface for the stereo, climate controls and the CUE telematics system. A still photo doesn't do it justice, really, and there are some hidden surprises.
It goes way beyond the knobless volume control JKav mentioned previously, although that element is perhaps the most frustrating and prominent aspect of the system. This particular touchpad is oddly calibrated in that you can't reliably reach zero volume when you drag your finger across it to the extreme left edge of the pad.
A second stroke is usually required, and things get screwy when the volume isn't dropping fast enough and your spouse makes a move for the touchpad at the same time. A volume knob really does require so much less time, effort and thought, which adds up to less diverted attention, driver distraction and marital discord.
But I digress. Let's see more of it in action.
I suppose it's a crowd pleaser on the showroom floor, where a simple wave of the salesman's hand triggers proximity sensors that wake up the touchscreen before any physical contact is made, magically revealing additional soft buttons that can be pressed before your very eyes. And then there's that hidden backlit smartphone compartment with its own concealed release. Neat-o.
But is all that flash worth it?
I tend to see it as a bit of smoke and mirrors. All of the touchpads tell me the wow factor and a design concept won out over everyday usability, particularly for the more basic functions like volume and climate control. And then there are the fingerprints. You'll never see an end to them thanks to the touchscreen and the acres of piano black paint in which the touch-sensitive pads are embedded.
But I must admit I do like the concealed smartphone compartment with its own dedicated (and illuminated) USB socket. Cord management and security are a definite plus here. If only I could say with certainty that the motorized door will hold up over time.
What you still can't see is the lag in the system and the odd haptic feedback that vibrates under your touch as if to say, "I know your command wasn't immediately carried out, but the message was received. I'm on it." I suppose this represents progress from the Chevrolet Volt, which has laggy touchpads with zero feedback.
In the end it's an interesting exercise in the application of technology, particularly the proximity sensors wired to the touchscreen. But I can't shake the feeling that we've taken one step forward and two swipes back.
To put on the parking brake, you have to pull this little lever. To release, you push.
To me that is backwards. When you have a parking brake that you push down with your foot, you usually have a release lever that you pull to let it go. So, naturally I use the same logic.
It gets me every time I drive this car. Just another thing about this car that drives me crazy.
I noticed an odd little sound in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS the last time I drove it. It's a muted chirpchirpchirp that happens briefly during moderate acceleration from a standstill. The sound only occurs immediately following the 1-2 upshift and can be reproduced fairly easily.
It sounds vaguely like light compressor surge from the turbo, but the conditions aren't quite correct to produce that. The noise doesn't sound malignant in any way, more like just a weird little idiosyncrasy. I suspect it's one of those "they just do that" things.
We've put a 1,000 miles on our 2013 Cadillac ATS since its last fuel economy report.
You'd think that might change our overall averages, but in fact, they didn't budge a bit.
Worst Fill MPG: 18.3
Best Fill MPG: 28.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 21.2
EPA MPG Rating (City/Highway Combined): 27
Best Range: 383 miles
Current Odometer: 5,140 miles
Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS has passed the 5,000-mile mark. Actually, it did this a little while ago but we missed the clickover photo.
We've been driving the 2013 North American Car of the Year for about four months now. We've experienced some electrical gremlins in the form of erroneous fault codes and inconsistent interior lighting but other than that the car has been treating us just fine.
What would you like to see us do with the Cadillac ATS over the next 15,000 miles?
Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS is loaded with cool tech features like CUE with a wonderfully hi-res screen, a configurable IP and adaptive cruise control. It's also got some handy, but pretty basic features like parking sensors and a rear-view camera.
And that's where things go wrong.
When you activate the rear-view camera, the nice, big, clear display screen gets shockingly low-res. Beyond that, the camera is aimed poorly and the colors are all wrong with blown-out bright spots. And at night, it's grainier and even more blown out. (Careful if you're backing up towards something reflective, like a car, the brake/backup lights wash out half the center of the screen.)
It seems trivial. After all, this feature is designed to augment the backing up experience. But that's the difference between a nice car and an okay car. A cheap camera is a shortcut unbefitting of a Cadillac. I can't think of a single car, luxury marque or not, that handles images this poorly. Even our old Mazda 3 with its postage-stamp display was clearer.
It works and is bolstered by proximity sensors so you likely won't crash or run over your kids when using the system, but it's a downer in a car that's trying hard to prove its competitiveness.
(Note: None of the photos have been retouched. That's how it looks in real life. )
Living within driving distance of Las Vegas, Nevada is one of the benefits of working in Southern California. Many of our long-term cars get to make this run. Most recently our 2013 Cadillac ATS was called to duty.
Its comfortable cabin is accommodating to most passengers, the suspension is firm but not harsh, and once you get used to CUE there is plenty of entertainment available for those lulls in conversation that happen over long miles.
One glitch, however. The nav system froze up on the way there. We solved this by turning off the car and restarting. All was well after that.
We only filled up twice during our journey but over those two tanks we averaged 25.5 miles per gallon. Our Cadillac ATS Premium is EPA-rated at 21 city/31 highway/24 combined. So, we beat the odds. Can't say the same for our time in Vegas.
The Cadillac ATS abounds with little stylistic flourishes and clever details. It's one of the things that truly set it apart from the staid Germans that might include some LED lights up front and perhaps a smidgen of alloy trim inside if you tick the right options box.
Just a quick glimpse of the ATS will reveal what I'm talking about. Yet, when I saw the ATS in the flesh for the first time, the detail that impressed me most was the door handles.
"No way. Tell me they light up, that would be rad," I said approaching the car. "They do light up! That's fantastic. And the button to unlock the car is like a modern version of those old button-push Cadillac door handles that used to be on the Fleetwood and others. Just brilliant."
I'm still impressed every time I see the ATS.
This little issue has been driving me nuts for a while. The steering wheel in our ATS makes a clicking sound as it rotates. It's like turning a socket wrench every time you park. If you don't believe me you can hear it for yourself.
Some people have driven it and barely even noticed. I'm not sure how given how prominent it is every time you turn the wheel. It grated on my ears every time I got behind the wheel, so I finally took it to the dealer today to see if they could smooth things out.
Our local dealership is Martin Cadillac and I dropped in without an appointment. Pierre, the service advisor, was quick to write me up and had no trouble hearing the noise once he got behind the wheel and spun it himself.
Once he had entered the car into the computer he also noted that it had three different service bulletins that needed to be done. At that point he offered a loaner car in case everything took longer than expected. I declined, but it was good to see Cadillac is keeping up with other luxury brands in this respect.
We'll see how good the dealership does when it comes to diagnosing steering columns.
Dirty shoes, sweaty shirts and leaky water bottles don't belong on the nice leather interior of a Cadillac. So after a hike to Skull Rock in the Pacific Palisades this weekend I put our stuff in the trunk. My camera bag (on the right) fit nicely in to the plastic bin on the floor of the trunk and there was more than enough room for everything else, but I didn't feel comfortable leaving it back there without some way to secure it.
My simple fix was to put the camera bag on the floor of the back seat. But if I were filling out a list of dealer-installed options I'd want, I'd make sure a net was on the list.
For the month of March our long-term Cadillac ATS put on about 1,225 miles. We averaged 23.8 mpg for the month almost matching the EPA combined rating for this car.
We were slightly ahead after our trip to Las Vegas, but city driving drove our average back down.
Worst Fill MPG: 18.3
Best Fill MPG: 28.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 21.7
EPA MPG Rating (City/Highway Combined): 21/31/24
Best Range: 383 miles
Current Odometer: 6,487 miles
Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS has a 272-horsepower, turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. This 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham de Elegance that I found last weekend, has a 7.0-liter V8 that produced 195 horsepower when it was new. There aren't too many people that are comparing these two Caddys, but I enjoy looking at the stark contrast between two automobiles that share the same badge.
In 1977 the Cadillac Fleetwood was 'downsized' and lost more than 12 inches of overall length, making it a scant 221 inches from bumper to bumper. Even at this decreased size, it's 40 inches longer than our ATS and larger than every Cadillac sedan on the road today. The only Cadillac that even comes close in the current lineup is the Escalade ESV at 222.9 inches (an inch longer).
If you've ever had the pleasure of riding in an older Cadillac, you know they float, glide and cruise over everything. There's no sense of urgency and you definitely don't arrive anywhere early.
Our 2013 Cadillac ATS is very different in size and in the feelings it provides. It's composed, taut, light and fun. It can get your adrenaline going and provide thrills. Sure, Cadillac still makes big comfy sedans like the XTS but I'm all for going smaller and sportier. Who knows, maybe Cadillac will keep up the good work and produce an ATS-V?
I snapped this picture of our 2013 Cadillac ATS touchscreen to show to our Car Wrangler Extraordinaire, Mike Schmidt (CWE). True to form, he already knew about the expired XM subscription, had in fact paid it, but suspects the car didn't respond in kind because the signal couldn't reach it, deep in the parking bunker under our office building.
Mike also noted that the cost for two of the three XM subscriptions (XM Travel Link + XM NavTraffic) was about $60 for a full year. The XM/Sirius Radio subscription costs less, and is about $20 depending on which package is selected.
Does any of this seem excessive to you? I'm beginning to think so because right after I saw this screen, I said, "Meh," and proceeded to check traffic and listen to music from my phone instead.
I was playing music from my iPhone in our 2013 Cadillac ATS and was pleased to see the artist's album artwork displayed on the instrument panel. Because I hadn't selected a particular album, the audio system was simply playing songs in alphabetical order, providing a steady view of various album "covers."
Then it hit me: Back in the day, albums, or LPs, were sleeved in 12-inch-square cardboard covers that we actually held in our hands and could examine up close. Some of them were highly detailed with hidden "Easter Eggs" and became the stuff of music lore.
I then realized that many of today's album "covers" are merely digital files that arrive with the downloaded music, or are at best, the size of a CD jacket. There's no doubt that album artwork has changed: Bigger, bolder graphics and colors.
After the jump, I've supplied a few more examples of what I'm talking about.
Our Cadillac ATS no longer sounds like a socket wrench every time you spin the steering wheel. After dropping it off at Martin Cadillac in West L.A. they got to work on diagnosing the problem. Turns out that the SIR (Steering Wheel Inflatable Restraint) coil was rubbing against the steering angle sensor.
First, the tech tried using a new SIR coil to see if that would cure the problem. It didn't. Then he tried a new steering sensor, that didn't work either. Then put in both replacement parts together and all was good. All five and a half hours of labor were covered under warranty. Whew.
While the ATS was there, our service writer Pierre also noted that there were a few service bulletins that needed to be performed. One was an update to the seat memory system while the other firmed up a turbo manifold connection. The third, and probably most noticeable update, was an update to the new CUE software. Here's hoping that it will cure some of the slowness that we've experience so far with the new user interface. We'll do a separate post to cover any noticeable changes.
All in all, the car was out of service from Monday to Friday morning, partly because the steering wheel sensor had to be ordered. This is certainly longer than we would have hoped, but Pierre did offer us a loaner car when we brought it in, so we wouldn't have been without wheels had we not declined.
As I've stated before, my ancient iPod Touch has stopped communicating with most of our long-term cars. So, I brought some CDs with me this time. How 1990s of me.
But there was no obvious way to play them in our 2013 Cadillac ATS. I went searching for the CD player but found something else.
This secret pop-up compartment. Well, I guess it's not a secret if you own the car and drive it every day. But a passenger in the Cadillac would never notice it. Looks to me like this would be the logical place to put the CD player, no?
So, I resorted to reaching for the manual and found the CD player taking up a lot of room in the glove box.
I've been doing some homework about what people have in mind when they buy American cars, and just what makes a car "American."
So it was interesting to notice this sticker on the driver's side door jamb of our 2013 Cadillac ATS. It's a bit of a mess from a design standpoint, what with the competing assembly plant, UAW and GM logos, to say nothing of the particularly ugly map of Michigan. But forget all that. The sticker is a statement of the car's American pedigree. The ATS was born in the U.S.A., dammit.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS is not the most American car if your measure is the percentage of domestic (meaning U.S. and Canadian) content. It stands at 65 percent, and there are several cars out there that have more than that. But that's just one way of assessing a car's American-ness.
What do you think makes a car American?
Our long-term Cadillac ATS in Premium trim comes with a 10-speaker Bose surround sound system (that's three more speakers than the base system from Bose). On lower-trimmed models, this system is paired with the CUE interface and will set you back $1,350. Is the upgrade worth it?
Short answer: probably.
The CUE interface is decent enough. It's not nearly as aggravating as the MyFord Touch system, though that's a decidedly low bar. CUE does take a couple of seconds to respond when you skip to the next song, but at least you have an indication that your command was registered (haptic feedback on the screen and the music cuts out).
The proximity sensor on the touchscreen is a neat feature, though I really don't see how useful it is. Normally, the screen looks like the shot above. As soon as you hand gets close to it, more information (shown below) appears. The steering wheel audio controls are acceptable, but not praiseworthy. Reaching the inboard skip buttons require changing your hand position.
In terms of audio quality, well, it won't exactly impress you. The staging is pretty good, and the options for driver and centered focus allow the music to surround you. The bass is pretty weak, unfortunately, with the big hits felt primarily through the floor, not in your gut. I gave the bass a little boost in the tone adjustments, but then it all started getting muddy. The highs were all right, but certainly not crystal clear.
Browsing for a specific track or artist was easy, for the most part. The menus are well organized and you can actually scroll through the selections fairly quickly. I also like the sharpness of the graphics and even the super glossy screen doesn't bother me too much. It's a lot like the shiny screens on the current Apple products.
If the sound quality of the system were improved, even just a little bit, I'd change my "is it worth it?" answer to "definitely."
As far as infotainment interfaces go, the Cadillac CUE system is all right. Not great and not awful. The welcome screen (when you first get into the car), however, is both great and awful.
Startup and welcome flourishes are nothing new to cars. Personally, I like the simple sweep of the gauge needles, but I'm a sports car type of guy. When manufacturers include welcome screens with sound effects, well, I'm not impressed.
I used to love the THX intro screens in movie theatres. The sweeping sound and power from those systems were simply rad. But I don't need it in a car. The ATS's screen is particularly egregious, giving me the impression that they hired Michael Bay to create it.
Kia and Hyundai, on the other hand, have more minimalistic welcome screens, but they have the feel of one of those chimes you hear in an Asian airport before an announcement.
What do you think? Are welcome screens cool or just a waste of time?
The first time I heard the CUE startup video in our 2013 Cadillac ATS I was irritated. I thought whoever drove the car before me must have left the radio on full blast, and I struggled to quickly turn down the volume but to no avail. It wouldn't respond. Suffice it to say many expletives ensued.
But the next time it happened, I realized it was just the startup video for the CUE system whenever someone got in the driver seat. The action of slipping into the seat is what sets it off, not hitting the car's "Engine Start" button. It sounds like the beginning of an action movie trailer. When you watch the video after the jump, you kinda expect someone to come on the speakers with "IN A WORLD...."
I loved using the 2013 Cadillac ATS as a dog transporter for my dog Mya. Not only because it has those seat belt fasteners that protrude from the seat which makes it super easy to buckle her in but it has rear air vents in the back of the center console so she can just stick her nose on it to get some air.
That backseat is spacious and comfortable for dog hauling at least. And I may be projecting, but I think she liked it back there. She wasn't whiney or squirmy which is always a good sign.
And most important, at least to me, she was still within reach of me in the front passenger seat so I could pet her cute head.
There are many ways to do satellite steering wheel controls. Cadillac's latest attempt to deliver maximum functionality at your fingertips is good at some things, and merely average at others.
The volume and seek buttons are simple enough. It would be better if you could tell between them without looking, but they are easy to use with your thumb. The rocker switch is another story.
It's a four way rocker, so it tilts right/left and up/down, but the detents are spongy so sometimes it's hard to tell if you've actually pushed it hard enough. It's actually a five-way button if you count the fact that you can push it straight down as well. That, too, is not the easiest thing to do.
So what's it for anyway? The right hand side rocker allows you to scroll through the various menus on the instrument panel display. Once you get used to the options, it's not all that hard to find what you want. But even after using it for several months now, I still find it imprecise. It just doesn't feel like a well-made switch and given that it's something you often rest your fingers on, it should feel great.
No, I didn't ram our Cadillac ATS into a wall. But seriously, how awesome of a test would that be?
NHTSA awarded the Cadillac ATS five out of five stars in overall, frontal, side and rollover protection. That's pretty impressive. Loyal followers of our long-term fleet might recall that I have a particular affinity for watching destruction, especially in slow motion. So click on through to see a few Cadillacs get crushed in frame-by-frame glory. You're welcome.
Look, I know this 2013 Cadillac ATS is supposed to be a sport sedan and all. And without question, it is one terrific-handling machine.
But it's also a Cadillac. Therefore, it should have a more comfortable front seat.
I've spent several days in the ATS now, and I just can't seem to find a position that's truly comfortable for me. The stuffing, in both the seat cushion and the seatback, is just too dang hard for those long-haul days in the saddle.
What's more, we know it can be done. Hop in any BMW 3 Series or the new Lexus IS for a lesson on how to do front seats right.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0T's trunk is generously wide at the opening, but things get tight further back in the cargo area.
I found out just how narrow it gets at the wheel wells when I folded down the rear seats and tried to put a mountain bike in through the trunk.
The pass-through is plenty tall enough for this maneuver, but definitely not wide enough. I had to lower the seat post all the way down to get the bike in (besides taking off the front wheel, of course). And even then it was a total squeeze-fest.
I was so frustrated I forgot to take a photo.
While stuffing a mountain bike into the ATS isn't exactly normal duty, the ATS's 10.2 cubic-foot trunk is on the small side for the class. The BMW 3 Series offers 11.0 cu.-ft. of space, the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class measure 12.4 cu.-ft.
We added 1,000 miles to our Cadillac ATS's odometer in April, mostly at the hands of Road Test Editor Mike Monticello.
Monticello complained about the Cadillac's seats, but not about its fuel economy, as most of his fill-ups averaged 20 mpg or better.
Our Caddy's lifetime fuel average now stands at 20.9 mpg.
Worst Fill MPG: 14.8
Best Fill MPG: 28.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 20.9
EPA MPG Rating (City/Highway/Combined): 21/31/24
Best Range: 383 miles
Current Odometer: 7,598 miles
File this under the Minor Gripes category. But I don't find the steering wheel audio controls on the 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0T intuitive.
Two problems: First, having the up/down radio volume buttons on opposite sides of the cumbersome SEL button is just odd. To me it would make more sense to have the up/down buttons on the same side of SEL, with my first choice being below it as that's easier to get to.
Turns out, I adjust the stereo volume quite a bit (who knew?) so this non-intuitive setup stands out to me.
Second, the overly protruding SEL button is just odd in general, as you have to raise your thumb to reach over it.
Again, in the grand scheme of things, not a big deal. But still odd nonetheless.
It's somewhat important to see where your car is when you glance at the nav screen. For example, you're in an unfamiliar neighborhood and want to see how close you are to a certain street. Well, good luck with the system in the ATS as it's like playing "Where's Waldo".
Give up? Scrutinize the screen and you may see a white car icon blending into the white street like a vehicular chameleon. Cute, but I'd rather a plain blue arrowhead.
Our 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0 Premium recently found itself embroiled in a comparison test, pitted against the 2013 BMW 328i and the all-new 2014 Lexus IS250 F Sport.
How'd it do? Head over to the comparison test to find out.
When I was driving our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS home on Friday evening, I got this warning message about impending weather conditions.
An Areal Flood Advisory
I looked up what an "areal" flood is, and found that according to the National Weather Service, it is a term to indicate widespread flooding over a large area. It is flooding that develops gradually from prolonged rainfall.
Strange, as the weather that day was California normal: partly sunny, around 70 degrees. Maybe the car thought I was somewhere else?
I'm not sure how I've driven our Cadillac ATS for so many miles and have just encountered its safety alert seats, but I must admit they're a little shocking when you're not expecting them.
It's not always easy to judge how cars will fit in my garage since I'm driving something different nearly every day, and I pulled the Cadillac in a little too close to the workbench that faces the car's grille.
As the front alert signal illuminated on the IP, something goosed my behind. Not really underneath I guess, more on the upper sides of my thighs. Still, quite a surprise — especially when you're alone in the car.
While driving our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS yesterday, I came upon one of its special relations.
Honey, I just wonder what you do there in the back of your Pink Cadillac.
This warning popped up on the instrument display of our 2013 Cadillac ATS when I climbed in this morning. I did not notice any associated issue with the power steering, and the warning did not stay illuminated. And I have not seen it again since. We'll keep an eye on this and have it addressed at the dealer if necessary.
Looking at this message one might think they had a headlight out. That's not quite the case in this Cadillac.
I was a little surprised when I saw this message in the morning darkness as the headlights appeared to be working just fine. After looking closer, the light pattern on the right side did look a little bit different than the left, but again, this was only if I stared awhile.
When I got to work I took a look from the outside. Sure enough, the headlights both appeared to be working fine. I kneeled down a bit to look closer and again the right side appeared a little bit off compared to the driver's side headlight. Could be just an aim issue, but we'll probably take the car to the dealer just to make sure. If nothing else, they'll be able to clear the faulty warning.
Our long-term Cadillac ATS has had a string of small issues lately. A couple of them were simple warnings from the on-board computer that something was wrong. In both cases, everything seemed fine to us, so it's hard to tell if the computer was acting up.
But as you can see, this latest trim issue is hard to miss. It's right there in the driver's line of sight. It's not exactly a huge issue, I snapped it back into place once already, but it's not the kind of thing you like to see in a relatively new luxury sedan.
We're going to wait and see if the first couple of warnings show up again before heading to the dealer. If they do, we'll get this panel secured a little better so it doesn't pop up again.
The paddle shifters in the Cadillac ATS are beautifully finished and stand in sharp contrast to the chintzy plastic things that reside in other luxury cars. However, I still wish there was more effort in their action to make you feel that pulling them actually engaged some sort of mechanism as opposed to just pressing a tiny electronic button beyond.
Alternately, I could settle for a longer travel instead to at least make you feel like you're doing something. In a perfect world they'd be mounted in place to the column instead of turning with the wheel, but that can be a preference and packaging issue.
As it stands, manually shifting an automatic transmission in most cars is a rather antiseptic, unrewarding experience that feels like you're just pretending to drive. I use them when needed if driving aggressively or when the transmission's programming is annoying in some way (the ATS is not), but otherwise using them rarely brings the involvement and enjoyment of a regular manual. The Cadillac is better than others, but I still find myself leaving it in Drive.
I thought I would get used to the so-called Safety Seat in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS. I haven't, and at this point I don't expect I will. For those unaware, the Safety Seat adds a pair of thigh bolsters that twitch prominently when the car's proximity sensors decide it is necessary to do so.
For example, it'll goose your hindquarters when you're approaching an object while parking, whether backing or fronting in. Or when it thinks you're approaching another vehicle too quickly.
I get the concept. It alerts the driver only, unlike auditory alerts that let everyone in the car know that something's up. But every time that freakin' seat twitches I want to burn this car to the ground. It is obnoxious and distracting, which is sort of the point of the thing, and sort of the opposite of the point.
Were the ATS mine I'd skip the Safety Seat altogether. Unfortunately, it is compulsory equipment in Premium trim, so I'd be hunting for an electrical connector to unplug.
We added 1,200 miles to our 2013 Cadillac ATS's odometer in May, and some aggressive driving brought our average mpg down slightly to 20.8.
The worst tank was at the hands of Feature Editor Mike Magrath while running a specific test loop. During that 162-mile drive, Magrath averaged just 14.8 mpg.
With nearly seven months of our Cadillac's long-term test behind us, we'll see how the ATS's fuel economy plays out over the second-half of the year.
Worst Fill MPG: 14.8
Best Fill MPG: 28.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 20.8
EPA MPG Rating (City/Highway/Combined): 24
Best Range: 383 miles
Current Odometer: 8,869 miles
Down on Reese Witherspoon since her recent mouthy arrest in Georgia? Here's a little something to help you get over her bad behavior:
Witherspoon was spotted climbing out of a 2013 Cadillac ATS just like our long-term car — from the driver's side.
Summer in Los Angeles means blooming Jacaranda trees. Everywhere. And as beautiful as they are, they shed their sticky, purple blossoms as fast as you can sweep them from your driveway.
Lately, I've noticed a few local homeowners have posted, "Park Here at Your Own Risk" signs to their front lawns, indicating the damage that could occur to your car should you pull up to the tree-lined curb.
What's your neighborhood clean-car nemesis?
General Motors is recalling some 2014 Chevrolet Impala, 2013 Cadillac ATS, and 2013 Cadillac XTS models. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the vehicles' brake lamps may flash intermittently and the cruise control may disengage.
There were no customer complaints. The problem was discovered at the assembly plant.
In the six months we've spent with our long-term Cadillac ATS, we've experienced no such anomalies. But we called GM's automated system just to make sure. This recall does not apply to our car.
2014 Chevrolet Impala, 2013 Cadillac ATS and XTS Recalled.
Well, you never can be too careful, I guess. While reversing our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS into a parking space on the street, the car abruptly dropped anchor, grinding to an immediate halt. A loud alert sounded, and the car wouldn't move.
I was momentarily bewildered. What the hell had just happened? I had been alternately using my mirrors, the backup camera and looking over my shoulder while performing this routine parking maneuver. All was normal. Now, I was sitting there in an immobile car with a shrill noise in my ears and a heart rate that had just doubled. In addition to scaring the bejeezus out of me, I found that the ATS had also set its parking brake. All while still in Reverse!
I threw it in Park, went around back and found this single blade of tall grass in the general vicinity of the Cad's proximity sensor. This nefarious obstacle had triggered the Rear Automatic Braking facet of the car's Driver Assist package, natch.
Tell me this: Does anybody really need to know about a High Surf Advisory? It needs to be a world-changing event for this to be necessary information on my commute. Yes, these warnings can be switched off. And they will be.
Again.
Every time I walk out to my dark garage to get in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS, I feel happy. I could end up taking a really good drive today, I think. The world is my oyster. My mania has everything to do with the approach lighting on the ATS.
Stealing from BMW is almost always a good idea. And the lighting scheme on our ATS reminds me of walking up to our E90 sedans, first a 2006 330i, then a 2009 M3.
The LEDs on the door handles are an especially nice touch. Whereas BMW located the LEDs on the underside of each handle, Cadillac has them on the outside. The effect is the same, though I suppose the LEDs on the ATS might be slightly more vulnerable to damage from flying debris. Whatever. This car looks great and my hope is renewed.
Here's something I've never experienced before: When manually toggling gears in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS there's distinctly different effort required for up- and downshifts. Downshifts, executed by pulling the lever back, require far more effort than upshifts.
I have no idea why a manufacturer would do this. Makes me wonder if this was an accident or a "tuning" choice.
I returned to our parked 2013 Cadillac ATS to find this addition. Fortunately, the at-fault party left a note with an apology and all pertinent contact information. It's good to know there are a few honest people out there. The cameras in the parking structure could have influenced her honesty, but still, we'll give the benefit of the doubt.
Next stop is the body shop.
Calling the month of June uneventful for our 2013 Cadillac ATS would be kind. After it was damaged, it took a few weeks to repair so we didn't hit any new milestones. More on the repair process soon, but if you want to see the mpg we logged before the ATS went to the body shop, click through the jump.
The ATS only clocked 422 miles in June before it went in to the shop. The two fill-ups for the month were almost exactly on par for the lifetime average, which is still a few mpg short of the EPA rating for the 2.0-liter turbo model. Hopefully, some long-distance highway miles over the summer will help bring the average up.
Worst Fill MPG: 20.3 mpg
Best Fill MPG: 21.7 mpg
Average Lifetime MPG: 20.8 mpg
EPA MPG Rating (City/Highway Combined): 21/31/24
Best Range: 383 miles
Current Odometer: 9,291 miles
Our 2013 Cadillac ATS is back in service following a 16-day stint at our local Golden Hammer body shop. If you recall, this happened to it.
The shop was able to repair the panel rather than having to replace it. Still, it cost a healthy $2,525 to put Humpty back together. Fortunately for us, that was all covered by the at-fault party's insurance. For now, the ATS is back on the road.
When our 2013 Cadillac ATS finally came out of the body shop, it went straight to work. My brother and I had a 1,000-mile road trip planned for the holiday weekend.
Out of Los Angeles before noon, my brother Tyler and I were keen on arriving at our father's house for dinner. It's 450 miles away. Apparently, the ATS's seats are super comfortable for passengers because my brother was sleeping before 30 minutes passed. After a few hours on the road, I couldn't drown out the snoring with podcasts any longer. I stopped for burgers.
Somewhere outside of Fresno we found an In-and-Out burger and a developing storefront for what looks to be an old-west-themed ice cream shop. Ice cream would've been pretty nice, considering we were driving in a record-setting heat wave.
The Cadillac informed us of local weather on both the center touchscreen and the small display in the instrument panel. This was one of several warnings I received along our road trip that gave an "Excessive Heat Warning." The peak temperature for the day was 117 degrees Fahrenheit.
Interstate 5 was flat, straight and seemingly endless, but at least it was empty. There were a few construction projects, but we were making great time.
As we drove further into Northern California, I called up the navigation menu on the CUE touchscreen. Our route no longer displayed on the screen, so I tried several times to reenter the address. No dice. The ATS's nav system simply wouldn't cooperate. Our position was still being tracked, but there were no turn-by-turn instructions nor a blue highlighted route to guide us on our way. Luckily, we both had working iPhones.
With only 40 miles left on the journey, the Cadillac ATS alerted me that there were only 50 miles of fuel range remaining. An annoying thing happened next:
When the Cadillac slipped under 50 miles of range, the computer simply told me the range was "low." I would've loved to know exactly how far I had left, especially with a possible range record coming up for the ATS. I topped out the range on our Ford Focus ST just a few weeks ago and I was feeling good about this one, too. After driving 30 miles on unfamiliar rural highways, I gave in and stopped for gas.
432.9 miles on one tank, a new record! The ATS took just over 16 gallons of fuel, which is apparently the exact size of the tank. After another 20 minutes on mountain roads, we arrived at my father's house with time to spare.
Still to come on the road trip: boats, fireworks, parades, gold mines, cemeteries and hay trucks. Stay tuned.
On day two of my holiday weekend road trip to Nevada City, California in our 2013 Cadillac ATS, it sat parked while we climbed into a Toyota Highlander Hybrid instead. The Caddy likely would've faced a few issues towing my father's boat.
We spent a day exploring the local historical landmarks, then hooked up the 1950's Dunphy and headed to Scott's Flat Lake. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the vintage boat started once it was on the water. Back at home, we discussed the possibility of a fuel leak on the boat while we grilled corn and ate tacos.
The next morning, Independence Day was upon us so we headed out to the local parade. I'm used to big city activities, but this was a nice change. Local thrift stores, family-owned restaurants, and vintage fire trucks made it feel like a truly American experience.
After the parade, we took some air-conditioned shelter for lunch then headed to Empire Mine State Park. The park is home to what was once one of the largest gold mines in the country. We explored the original owner's mansion, mine workshops and the main drift of the mile-deep mine. I found a few automotive relics as well.
Finally, when it was time for the local fireworks show, we piled in to the Cadillac ATS and headed for the woods. While I'm only 5-feet-9-inches tall, my brother and father are both six-feet tall, and our family friend Larry is 6' 5". I was curious to see how the seating would work out. Larry bumped his head getting in to the back of the ATS, but he insisted that was his own fault and there was plenty of headroom. I still think he was being a little too kind.
The adaptive headlights in the ATS were amazing on the mountain roads and helped me spot at least one deer that I made sure to avoid. I've been critical of this kind of technology in the past (citing slow change of direction in headlights and weak output on many factory-equipped HID headlights), but with crisp light output and clear cutoff lines, these headlights are fantastic. Around the mountain bends, the ATS felt planted and smooth and inspired plenty of confidence.
As the sun set, we celebrated America's birthday at the county fair, hit a milestone in the ATS (more on that later) and headed home with the 450-mile return journey on tomorrow morning's horizon. The Cadillac ATS had definitely started to grow on me by this point.
California Gold Rush miners were settling in Nevada City as early as 1849, fifteen years before Nevada became a state. As a result of this relatively lengthy history, there are some great landmarks in the area. I've already been to the Empire Mine National Park (where nearly 6 million ounces of gold was unearthed), but as I was on my way out of town in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS, the local cemetery caught my eye.
It may seem strange, but I enjoyed my visit here. Unique, handcrafted gravestones were everywhere and I spent a few minutes reading their interesting inscriptions from over 150 years ago and paying my respects to Nevada City's earliest residents.
After a few minutes checking out the various headstones (and competing with my brother Tyler to find the oldest person in the cemetery — sibling rivalry never dies), we got on the road. If you're traveling from Nevada City to Los Angeles along Interstates 80 and 5, you'll find some long, flat and generally boring stretches of road, but we made the best of it. After being stuck in a long line of traffic where speeds averaged in the high 40s for several miles, we discovered the culprit at the helm.
One of the benefits of cross-country travel is a posted minimum speed limit on highways like Interstate 40. Apparently, this driver took advantage of the fact that California doesn't post such restrictions.
Another interesting highway traveler, who decided he didn't need to arrive at with 100 percent of his cargo, also caused a bit of a slow-down.
Also, since the Caddy has multiple USB ports, my brother and I decided to charge our iPhones simultaneously. Cadillac's CUE system didn't like this one bit.
There was no distinguishable way to choose between the devices, and once we did get the desired device playing through a series of stabs at random buttons, it was nearly impossible to control. Shuffling songs didn't work with both iPhones plugged in and neither did playing an entire album at once. To confuse things further, the current selection didn't show up on the touchscreen display which was characteristically unresponsive. The saving grace along the monotonous stretches was the fantastic Bose stereo. It gives you a shot of adrenaline in the arm when you've got 350 highway miles in front of you.
Other notable events of the day included another "Excessive Heat Warning" from the ATS and a stop for jerky and fudge along California's farm belt. In the end, I put a total of 1,022 miles on the Cadillac ATS. It averaged 25.5 miles per gallon over this period, which is better than its combined EPA rating (24 mpg). It also clocked its best range, going 432 miles between fill-ups and getting an impressive 27mpg.
After nearly a week in the ATS, I realized how remarkably cozy it is. After the initial settling-in period, I couldn't remember having to adjust for comfort or improved driving position once. This was especially impressive to me considering my tendency for chronic back pain. Along with the soothing interior, I liked the car's extremely responsive steering and its secure, planted feel on twisty back roads.
There isn't a car in our fleet I'd rather live with on a daily basis. Sure, others might be cooler to drive on a Sunday or have a bit more power, but this is the best all-rounder we've got.
After nearly eight months in our fleet, the 2013 Cadillac ATS is running a little behind on miles. Thankfully, we ticked over to 10,000 miles this month soon after we got the Cadillac back from the body shop.
Since the 5,000-mile mark, our 2013 Cadillac ATS has only had one major service item. It had creaky steering, and our local dealership remedied this by replacing two parts under warranty at no charge to us.
Following my road trip to Nevada City, the Caddy's oil life indicator now reads in the single digits, so that will likely prompt another service visit soon. For now, we're glad to have the ATS back on the road.
I think it's pretty safe to assume that if you've got small children to drive around frequently, you're probably not going to lust over a 2013 Cadillac ATS as your daily driver. But I recently had a father of one of my friends ask me what I thought of the ATS, as his wife is interested in replacing her older CTS with one. They're grandparents to five young kids. So it's not entirely out of the question that potential owners could be putting an ATS to use as at least an occasional kid taxi.
The ATS does have one of the smaller backseats in its class. While booster seats or front-facing child safety seats are rarely a problem for any car, sometimes installing a rear-facing safety seat can be tricky because of interference from the car's front seats. So out of curiosity, I installed a Britax Marathon child safety seat in its rear-facing position to see how it fit in our ATS.
There is enough rear legroom here to make a rear-facing safety seat feasible. At least with this Britax safety seat, however, the instructions ask you to install it so that its base is level with the ground. Here I ran into a bit more difficulty.
The ATS's seat cushion is contoured and has a noticeable downward angle to it, so I needed to use some folded up towels to boost the seat's base back up close to level. I was able to keep the front passenger seat positioned so that a normal-sized adult would be OK sitting there, though not necessarily for long distances.
Thinking back, that's about what it was like with another entry-level luxury sedan we tested a couple of years ago, the Volvo S60. Both have a rear seat legroom measurement of 33.5 inches, coincidentally.
One thing that really stood out when we used our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS in a three-way comparison test was the car's handling abilities. As author Mike Magrath wrote: "Whereas the [Lexus] IS 250 turned in decent handling results and then got walked on the road, the Cadillac took everything we dared to throw at it regardless of the venue."
Our ATS does have some truly impressive handling limits. I've driven it quickly through turns and the thing just sticks. Credit the car's suspension design, balance, relatively light weight and Bridgestone summer tires. The steering does lack feel, but it's appropriately quick and suitable to the sporty character of the car.
For me, this is one of the car's best attributes and why I'd tell somebody to buy one. The term "sport" gets used so much in automotive marketing these days that it sort of loses its meaning, but the ATS certainly fits my description of a "luxury sport sedan."
Speaking of sport, the ATS's Sport mode, which dramatically firms up the adaptive suspension dampers, seems like overkill to me. On a race track it'd probably be useful, but on the street this mode takes away so much suspension compliance that I find it to be a hindrance.
I just leave the Cadillac ATS in its default Tour mode.
Recently our 2013 Cadillac ATS generated an on-screen popup notifying us that it was due for an oil change service.
I had made an appointment at Michael Cadillac (in Fresno, CA). The advisor, Rob, was courteous on the phone and then later in person. Since this dealership is paired with a Chevy dealership, the overall experience (i.e., the waiting room) wasn't quite as posh as you'd maybe get with a dedicated location for a luxury brand. But there was WiFi and Rob made the ATS a priority, so I was in and out in a little more than an hour, which was very nice.
Cadillac's Premium Care Maintenance plan covers the first four years or 50,000 miles. As such, this oil change (and tire rotation) was on the house.
Recently, I got a lot of seat time in our 2013 Cadillac ATS. It was a good opportunity to see how the car's traits (both good and bad) affected me over a longer duration.
Curiously, a lot of things that I thought would bug me didn't. First up was the backseat. Yes, it is small for this class of car. Yet I never really found it to be an issue. Granted, I never had to drive around other adults in the rear of the ATS, just my two small children. But since when do you need acres of rear seat space in your entry-level luxury sport sedan? If you're frequently taking along two or three extra adults, maybe this isn't your class of car to begin with. The ATS is a retort to big-car-itus.
I also warmed up to the CUE interface. Yes, it's totally fair to say that BMW's iDrive or Mercedes' COMAND interfaces are easier to operate. But as touchscreen interfaces go, this one's still quite good. It responds quickly to touches and I found the haptic feedback to be useful. This wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me.
One other thing which others can find to be annoying is the vibrating Safety Seat. From my perspective, though, I like the directional aspect to it (the seat side vibrates according to where the issue is). And it can be disabled or adjusted in the settings if you don't like it.
Now, onto things that I did end up not particularly caring for. This might seem odd, but the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine's sound really started to bug me after a while. It sounds very much like what you'd hear from an economy car, which is to say the tone just isn't pleasing during hard acceleration. The power's there, but it doesn't sound happy about making it. Given the sportiness of the car and how frequently other automakers are making efforts to make engines sound cool, this just doesn't fly with me.
I also grew wary of our car's suspension tuning. I know, I know, our ATS is very impressive in terms of handling. But the ride is pretty firm, and for common use I'd prefer to have greater suspension compliance. Eventually, I'd like to try out an ATS without the sport-tuned suspension and adaptive dampers and see what it's like. Or, as an idea to Cadillac's engineers, have our car's normal ride mode be the sport mode and then introduce a softer mode for daily driving.
Reading through previous updates, I found Dan Frio's "A Good Start" resonated with me a lot. There really is a lot to like about the Cadillac ATS, but those "big picture" qualities sort of get damped down by annoying little things. It's trivial, but in this segment the trivial is important.
It'll be interesting to see what Cadillac does with its ATS in the coming couple of years.
I noticed that every time I opened the lid on the center console bin of our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS, it was a little slow and it seemed to be rubbing on something. It wasn't until I checked from the passenger seat that I noticed what the problem was. It is rubbing on the side of the driver seat, every time it opens or closes.
Not so on the passenger seat. If you look very carefully at the picture, you can see that there's air between the passenger seat and the bin lid, which is not the case on the driver side. Perhaps if I adjusted the driver seat back more, it might improve this, but I can't drive that way.
I like the shape of the lid, at least. When it's closed, it's visually interesting, and when it's open, from behind it looks like some kind of strange, padded horned animal with no neck.
Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS has this automatic braking system that, um, automatically engages the brakes in certain situations, namely ones that have the ingredients for crashing. No matter the manufacturer, these systems aren't perfect. They can't possibly assess every situation accurately. I say this not to excuse them, rather to recognize that this aspect is not unique to GM's system.
With that said, over the weekend the ATS went to full ABS braking for a split second while the car was in no way in any kind of perilous situation whatsoever. The car dropped the anchors as hard as they would go, if only for an instant. I'd just made a left onto a street with a slight curve in it, and the system misinterpreted the cars in the opposing lane as an impending oncoming disaster, and acted accordingly.
Were this my ATS, I'd turn this feature off, along with its Safety Seat and adaptive cruise control. Now if we could just replace its infuriating center stack controls.
In July, our 2013 Cadillac ATS returned to service after a two-week stay in the body shop. We responded with 2,100 miles, an oil change and a tire rotation. Editor Travis put half of those miles on the ATS during a road trip to Nevada City, while Editor Brent contributed his share through two weeks of combing Central California roads.
We achieved our best range (433 miles) and best MPG of the long-term test this month, with a 30.6 mpg average. On one hand, that's a pretty impressive number, compared against the ATS's EPA rating of 24 mpg in combined driving. On the other hand, most of the miles on that particular tank were open highway miles and not so impressive judged against the EPA rating of 31 highway mpg.
In fact, our ATS has been something of an underachiever, throughout the long-term test. We're averaging just 21.6 mpg in mixed driving, or about 2.5 mpg less than the EPA rating. While we understand that EPA ratings are often fanciful and idealistic, others actually buying the ATS perhaps won't be so forgiving.
Worst Fill MPG: 14.8
Best Fill MPG: 30.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 21.6
EPA MPG Rating: 24 Combined (21 City/31 Highway)
Best Range: 432.9 miles
Current Odometer: 11,733
Sure it looks out of place at the trailhead, next to mud-caked Jeeps and dusty Subarus, but our 2013 Cadillac ATS handled the high country like a mountain goat. Of course, we're not talking about anything off the pavement. However, we did make the climb from Lone Pine to the Whitney Portal, elevation 8,430 feet. The paddle shifters helped hold the lower gears to keep our speed down without heating up the brakes. And then there was another feature we really enjoyed.
It was a beautiful morning and we opened the sunroof to get a better view of the splendor around us. There was a lot of wind noise from the pop up screen, but it was well worth it to be able to see America's tallest mountain (in the lower 48 states, anyway).
Pulling into the valet lane at the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas I found myself behind a Rolls Royce Phantom with a license plate "Wynn 3." I was suddenly relieved I wasn't driving my 2001 Nissan Sentra with faded paint on the driver's side door as I had planned. Instead, I handed the keys to our 2013 Cadillac ATS to the valet who respectfully addressed me as "Mr. Reed."
I've never been a fan of the Cadillac's looks until now. Somehow, in the context of Las Vegas, it fit right in, like a fine, but not ostentatious, piece of jewelry.
Once you train yourself to look for the Heads Up Display (HUD) in the 2013 Cadillac ATS, your eyes will rarely leave the road. The HUD displays a variety of information including upcoming navigation turns. More importantly, it can be set to show your current speed along with the posted speed limit. This is crucial information when passing through small towns. The speed limit is sometimes kept unexpectedly low until you are miles from nowhere. I know because I got a ticket this way last year.
The heads up display was one of two safety features I really liked in the Cadillac.
I was constantly backing out of tight parking spaces in casino parking lots during a trip to Las Vegas. I relied on the side traffic alert system, and vibrating seat, to show me when cars, completely invisible to me, were coming. It wasn't a matter of assisting me; I was completely dependent on it.
I found these two safety features, along with adaptive cruise control, strong reasons to consider buying the ATS.
Somewhere along the lonely road between Los Angeles and Las Vegas this 2013 Cadillac ATS began to make sense to me. After another few hundred miles driving this mid-sized sports sedan I began wondering what I would have to pay for a used one. What changed?
In my job as consumer advice editor, I often advise people on what car to buy. It's an interesting psychological experiment and the method for reaching an answer is different for all people. As I considered my mind shift on the Cadillac, I felt it was time for me to lie on the psychiatrist's couch. Here are a few quick answers.
Size. Often, I tell people that finding the right car is like trying on clothes. You have to feel comfortable in it. The ATS was a good size for me, and it landed in a comfortable socio-economic level for me too, particularly as a used car. One thing I really like is that it doesn't have the L.A. stigma of the BMW. Instead, Cadillac is almost an underdog trying to reinvent itself. I like that.
Features. As I mentioned in earlier posts, I like many of the safety and tech features such as the heads up display (HUD), adaptive cruise control and cross traffic alert. I also like the graphics on the center console and the way it senses your hand is approaching and changes the display without actually touching the screen. The gauge cluster is busy and it's an information overload. But once you learn how to navigate it the design concept emerges.
Performance. The suspension is too stiff and the turbocharged 272-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline-4 engine is wheezy at high revs. But, come on, for daily driving, I'll trade a drop off in performance for 24 mpg combined and I almost got 30 mpg on the highway. Not only that, but premium fuel is recommended, not required. Guess which grade I'd buy.
Looks. As I mentioned, I actually started to like the looks of this Caddy, especially in black. Of course, it's a dust magnet inside and out. But I don't mind wiping it down now and then to keep it looking sharp in between trips to the car wash.
Sure, there is a similar list of things I don't like about the Cadillac. But when all's said and done, I like the quirkiness of this domestic sport sedan. Quirkiness and character are in short supply in today's automotive market.
Lately, I've been giving serious thought to buying a used pickup, something like a Nissan Frontier. I enjoy driving trucks, and since I've blithely entered into a home renovation project, I'd have the ability to make a hardware store run whenever the mood strikes.
The problem is, of course, that with the house sucking up all available funds, a used truck doesn't really fit into the budget. Last night, I was driving our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS, and I decided to buy a new bathroom sink and cabinet that I'd researched online. If it doesn't fit in the Caddy, I told myself, I'll just arrange to pick it up later.
Boy, do I have a lot to learn about shopping at Ikea.
Although I bought what I consider a genuinely nice bathroom vanity, there's still significant assembly required, and with two separate boxes (plus a third for the faucet), it fit into the ATS's not very large trunk with minimal effort on my part. If only toilets were this compact.
I once mentioned here that I think the 3 Series-inspired LED approach lights on our 2013 Cadillac ATS's door handles are cool.
Accordingly, I experienced mild disappointment this week when I noticed the light on the passenger-side rear door handle has already burned out. I haven't yet had a chance to RTM on the bulb swapping procedure but will do so, of course.
However, aren't LEDs supposed to last longer than 13,000 miles? Maybe we can have it replaced under warranty.
Last week I drove our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS to Monterey, California. This was the longest trip (750 miles there and back) I've ever taken in our entry-level Cadillac and the first time I've ever had occasion to use the adaptive cruise control.
In general, it works well. On open stretches of highway, it's quite useful for helping you maintain a safe following distance when coming up behind motorists who are traveling at significantly lower speeds. However, like other adaptive systems I've tried and abandoned, it's not so great when traffic picks up.
(Of course, these photos represent closed-course driving.) The ATS's adaptive cruise gives you three following-distance options. I chose the smallest gap setting ("Near"), but even that was too large in the very competitive driving environment that is Interstate 5 through California's Central Valley.
If you've driven this route, you know what I mean. This is a major trucking route, and the 18-wheelers stack up in the right lane, while passenger cars stack up in the left lane. Passing the trucks takes something like an eternity, so short-sighted and/or opportunistic drivers frequently come up on your right and dart into the left lane.
In Near mode, the ATS left too tempting a gap for these motorists, practically inviting them to cut in front of us any old time. After 15 minutes of this, I shut off the cruise control. This scenario gets at my main worry about the coming era of self-driving cars: I worry that my partially autonomous car will force me to be too nice.
On a more positive note, I really like the ATS's trip computer display between the main dials. It's colorful and sharp, and when we streamed the Angels-Yankees game from my phone, there was a three-dimensional rendering of the MLB At Bat baseball.
I love getting to know our long-term cars on the open road. After driving to Monterey, California, and back in our 2013 Cadillac ATS Premium 2.0T, though, I'm convinced it's not quite up to par in the entry-level luxury sedan class.
One issue for me is the ride quality. If I lived on California's Central Coast, I could totally deal with our ATS's firm ride. (You'll recall that choosing a rear-wheel-drive Premium model locks in summer tires and a sport-tuned suspension with adaptive dampers.) The roads are smooth up here, especially U.S. 101, and the default Tour mode for the adaptive dampers is livable.
But I wouldn't buy an ATS Premium if I continued to live in Southern California. It rides too harshly over worn sections of freeway. I've driven rival sedans with sport package upgrades over these same roads, and most of them offered more compliance.
I also have mixed feelings about the Cadillac's 272-horsepower, turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
Most of the time, this engine doesn't feel all that powerful to me. To be fair, though, our rear-drive turbo ATS has the same quarter-mile time and trap speed as an all-wheel-drive Audi A4 2.0T, so it's no slouch. It just isn't as quick as a BMW 328i.
On the Tejon Pass (the Grapevine section of Interstate 5), the 2.0-liter's vigor was noteworthy. Passing maneuvers came easily, and the power was delivered in a smooth manner. I love turbocharged engines.
The problem is that this one has a dull soundtrack. Worse, it gets noisy and unpleasant to the ear when you're accelerating hard. I'd put up with this in a $30,000 Chevrolet, but in a Cadillac that cost us nearly $50K, I'd expect a little more attention to detail.
It's no secret that a hotter version of the Cadillac ATS is headed our way soon. We've seen prototypes lurking around Detroit for some time now and with the standard sedan firmly established in the marketplace it's getting time to generate a little new interest.
The big question now is which engine it will get. We've been told that the engine bay in the ATS can accommodate one of GM's latest V8s, but now that there's a twin-turbo V6 in GM's parts bin, which form of motivation would you prefer?
If it were my call, I would go with the twin-turbo V6 introduced in the XTS and CTS Vsport models. With well over 400 horsepower coming from its compact package, it would fit the mold of the ATS better than a larger, heavier V8.
One of the aspects of our ATS that I find particularly pleasing is its lightweight feel. It makes it feel more like a 3 Series than any other aspect of the car. A big V8 crammed in the front end would feel great in a straight line, but would likely dull some of its handling sharpness.
Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS saw quite a bit of action in August, adding nearly 3,000 miles to its odometer. After all those miles, lifetime fuel economy on our four-cylinder ATS stands at 22 mpg. This is, of course, 2 mpg short of the ATS 2.0T's combined EPA estimate. And if you've read Dan Edmunds' piece, "MPG Is Stupid," you know we're actually 8.3 percent off the pace.
While 8.3 percent isn't massive, things could be better. We have yet to hit the highway EPA estimate of 31 mpg in the Cadillac ATS. This past month, we had a record low of 12.6 mpg. I attribute the bad tank to some record-high temperatures and loading the ATS down with cargo to help a friend move. Despite this tank, our lifetime average for the ATS actually went up slightly, improving from 21.6 mpg in July.
Worst Fill MPG: 12.6 mpg
Best Fill MPG: 28.5 mpg
Average Lifetime MPG: 22.0 mpg
EPA MPG Rating: 24 Combined (21 City / 31 Highway)
Best Range: 432.9 miles
Current Odometer: 14,778 miles.
On a recent trip to Michigan, I spent a good, long stint in a 2013 Cadillac ATS. Sound familiar? There's a wrinkle here. This Michigan car was equipped with the optional V6 as opposed to the 2.0-liter turbo-four in our long-term ATS.
Here are my observations.
As you might expect, the 3.6-liter V6 is quite effective at turning the ATS into a little rocket. 321 horsepower will do that. But it's not as though the 2.0 Turbo is slow. The bigger difference is that the V6 is more linear at the pedal than the turbo-four. It's crisp at part-throttle, and the torque is abundant.
The autobox plays along, too. There's little torque converter slack and it exhibits a willingness to drop gears when the occasion arises. Still, as in most cars, I'd like to try the V6 with a manual gearbox. Certainly the take rate of such a combination would be so low as to not be worth GM's while, which is why it isn't offered in the first place.
Both engines suit the car's character well, in different ways. The V6 does sound great, though. I made a habit of exploring the tach's upper reaches even when it wasn't strictly necessary. It loves revs yet pulls well even when starting from freeway speeds (rural Michigan is, well, rural...).
This V6 is not a new engine in GM's portfolio but they've made ongoing tweaks and enhancements to it over the years, and it shows. I did notice a bit more substance at the front end due to the heavier powertrain but by no means does the V6 upset the ATS's chassis. Checking the numbers now, it seems that compared to the 2.0 Turbo with auto, the V6 adds 62 pounds to the front axle and a few more at the rear, giving it a touch more front weight bias. Apparently, it's enough weight to notice but not enough to spoil.
So, which engine would I go for, V6 or 2.0 Turbo? It's a question I've been juggling for a while. I think the V6 is a better-executed powertrain. It just feels more natural and linear in the ATS. However, I also appreciate the lighter feel to the four-cylinder ATS. The V6 also commands an additional $1,800 over the turbo-four (and is rated 2 mpg less on the combined cycle).
In the end I think both powertrains have their place in the ATS, and it seems buyers have already beaten me to this conclusion. Cadillac's peeps tell me that ATS sales have been split more equitably between those two powertrains than even they expected.
It has been quite a long time since I've driven our 2013 Cadillac ATS and I had forgotten how recalcitrant the touchscreen infotainment system is. Click through to see a video demonstration of the screen's non-responsiveness after repeated presses.
You've probably been hearing us whine about the hot weather here in L.A. For about three weeks each year, our temps rise into the 90s, and even higher in the inland counties.
Living in a beach community, our weather is usually mid-70s with a cool ocean breeze. But my air-conditionless house has been sweltering.
So, when I chose my car for the past weekend, I picked the 2013 Cadillac ATS solely based on its air-cooling abilities. GM knows how to make a rockin' air conditioner that an American can love. It blasts cold air with ease. Despite the fussiness of the CUE system, the A/C controls are front and center and easy to use.
Of course, the car has other benefits. But when you're hot, you're hot.
We've reached 15,000 miles in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS. We bought the ATS in mid-November of 2012 and it has seen its share of action in that time.
Besides its normal oil changes, it took a bump, had some steering issues, and a few electronic gremlins.
Despite these hiccups, we've found plenty to like about the ATS. Can we reach 20,000 miles before our year with the Cadillac ATS is through?
Did you ever have someone else choose a car for you? A long time ago there was a game online called the Car-o-Scope. I think it was by the Car Talk guys.
You put in some information about the car you currently drive, then answer some personality questions and it chooses a car for you.
Back in the day, I think it was about 12 years ago, it chose for me a Cadillac Catera. I never would have considered that car for myself at the time. I had just bought my Acura Integra and was all about young and sporty.
But recently, some friends and I were sitting around choosing the perfect cars for each other. Old people do things like this for fun. And one of them blurted out, you're the perfect Cadillac person. Why is everyone trying to put me in a Caddy?
But now I'm starting to think maybe I should be driving a Cadillac. I've spent the last week in our long-term ATS and it was quite enjoyable.
Have you ever played a game like this?
After a road trip in the 2013 Cadillac ATS Turbo, I declared it the "best all-rounder we've got" and I stand by that statement. I really do love the ATS and when an ATS-V is introduced, the market for the BMW M3 will get a lot more competitive. But, the overhead console with its On-Star controls, interior lighting and sunroof controls, are seriously outdated.
My brother recently commented, "This looks like it's out of Dad's old Astro Van." He was right. This set of plastic trim absolutely looks like it could belong in a van from the 1990s. It's the cheapest looking piece in the cabin and it doesn't match the aesthetically pleasing surfaces that define the dashboard and CUE system.
If you swipe your finger along the bottom of the Cadillac ATS's center stack, a secret will be revealed. Donna DeRosa found it while Searching for the CD Player but I happened upon it by accident. Powered arms lift the display to reveal a third USB port and some cool-blue lighting inside an additional storage compartment.
When I first discovered this feature, I felt the sudden urge to go out and buy something valuable, just so I could hide it behind the dash. I could hide the remote to my secret-superhero-underground-lair or my cowl for when I need to take down criminals as the Caped Crusader. For now I guess I'll just charge my iPhone and keep it hidden from view while I go grocery shopping. What would you put in the Caddy's Bat Cave?
Small items have a tendency to tip over, slide around, spill, smoosh or break in the back of a U-Haul truck. So when a friend asked if I could help him and his pregnant wife move into a new home last weekend, I happily obliged (not just because he offered beer) and brought along our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS.
As we've mentioned before, the Cadillac ATS has a meager 10.2-cubic feet of trunk capacity. This is less than almost every direct competitor, but its narrow trunk was a perfect fit for the lamps, grocery bags and computer equipment I needed to haul. A small luxury sedan wasn't my first choice to help with the weekend move, but it proved to be more than enough.
The last time I drove our 2013 Cadillac ATS was a couple months ago. The car hasn't changed other than more miles on its odometer, but I'm enjoying the ATS more this time around.
I suspect it has to do with knowing what I do and don't like about the car going in. Two qualities I really do like are the ATS's styling and its sharp handling, and I think I'm appreciating them more. True enough, the Caddy does look pretty sweet parked in my driveway. The neighbors compliment it, and friends ask about it. It's not something you see every day, this anti-3 Series/C-Class/IS350.
I'm also taking advantage of the ATS's handling prowess more. Use it or lose it, right? So why not sweep into turns with a bit more enthusiasm than normal? The Cadillac ATS is ideal in these situations, and it makes the overall driving experience that much more rewarding.
It seems as if the driver-side interior door panel of our 2013 Cadillac ATS has loosened just a tiny bit during our 15,000 miles, and it results in some squeaky noises when you pull the door shut or press on the upper panel (for the memory seating buttons).
I noticed this a few days ago, though I can't say when it actually started to happen. It's pretty minor, but it's one of those things that once you know it's there, it can bug you. The passenger-side front door panel, for what it's worth, is still tight and squeak-free.
Here's a short video of the noise.
We've written about our 2013 Cadillac ATS's head-up display and configurable gauge cluster display before. But it's also worth mentioning how well they work together.
Normally, I'm not all that keen on head-up displays (HUD), as a nice set of gauges is all I want or need. But I've found the ATS's gauges to be a little hard to read, and sometimes the top of the steering wheel blocks my view of the top of the speedo depending on my seating position. As such, the HUD comes in handy.
I've found that with the HUD and the configurable display in the gauge cluster, I can have everything I really want displayed in a way that's very easy and quick to see. (It's also less distracting than looking over to the main central touchscreen display.)
I'll set the HUD to show speed and the road's speed limit, and then the configurable cluster display to some variation, but usually fuel economy/audio information/fuel range.
If I were buying an ATS, I'd very likely spring to get the optional HUD.
After last month's 3,000 miles, September was relatively quiet for our 2013 Cadillac ATS. We added fewer than half that, about 1,300 miles. For those miles, we averaged 20.7 mpg. That's a few mpg below the EPA's 24 mpg estimate for combined driving.
In terms of a lifetime average, we're still below that EPA combined average as well. After our nearly 16,000 miles, we're averaging 21.9 mpg.
Worst Fill MPG: 12.6
Best Fill MPG: 30.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 21.9
EPA MPG Rating: 24 Combined (21 City/31 Highway)
Best Range: 432 miles
Current Odometer: 15,938 miles
One annoying feature about the ATS: You can't defeat its adaptive cruise control. Once you order the optional adaptive cruise feature, you're stuck with it. When you want to cruise, you're limited to far, middle and close following distances. This isn't a big deal until a Prius pulls into your lane close enough that the radar freaks and orders some not particularly smooth braking.
In normal cruise conditions, you wouldn't feel a need to brake, but instead maybe cancel cruise, coast to extend the gap, then re-set your speed. Maybe you'd simply back down your speed on the control stalk or button. But this was making me a little nuts on a recent long interstate drive, and had me searching all over the steering wheel, instrument panel and menu settings for a way to defeat the radar. I read the owner's manual once stopped, but it was typically vague about if and how adaptive cruise could be defeated.
A few days later, a Cadillac engineer confirmed that I wasn't nuts and that three-stage adaptive was the only cruise mode. But enough customers have already complained about it, he said, that they were already considering adding a defeat function or normal cruise mode.
Adding to my aggravation, the next morning the system wouldn't engage when I was back on the highway, giving me a temporarily unavailable error. It wasn't raining, snowing, muddy, windy or particularly dusty outside. About 10 minutes later, still at interstate speeds, cruise control came back to life. I relayed the story to the Caddy engineer, who explained that something had obscured one of the sensors, perhaps a chunk of dirt, the splatter of a large enough bug, and had probably fallen off once at speed.
Recently the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety started a new testing program for vehicles with collision avoidance systems. Specifically, these are the systems that can detect vehicles ahead of you, determine if you're about to cause a front crash and either warn you or warn you and take steps (including automatically applying your car's brakes) to either minimize or even prevent the potential accident.
Within this testing program, the Cadillac ATS earned a "Superior" score for the performance of its frontal collision mitigation system, which is the best score given out of three possible rankings.
This technology, which Cadillac calls Forward Collision Alert and Automatic Collision Preparation, is optional and part of the Driver Assist package. It's a pricey package ($3,645 for 2014) but at least ATS buyers now have a better idea as to the value of the system.
"What an incredible smell you've discovered." Ah, yes, I never pass up an opportunity to work in a Star Wars quote.
But seriously, when you start up our 2013 Cadillac ATS, the first few seconds of air that comes blasting out of the vents is pretty stinky. Like, "shut down all the garbage mashers on the detention level" stinky.
It clears up in about 10 seconds. After a summer of blasting the A/C, some condensation could have built up in the system and now we have some mold or bacteria. Or maybe because our mornings are chilly and we're running the heat, and then the afternoons are hot and we run the air. Dan Edmunds says it usually comes from using recirc too much.
Whatever the cause, we'll have it checked out. Stinkiness can also be a sign of something more serious.
The other afternoon I climb into our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS. During my short drive home I scroll through the selections on the sedan's instrument cluster and notice it says the right side tire pressures are low. They read as you see in the photo: 31 psi front and 30 psi rear.
At this point I couldn't quote the spec pressure, nor do I know when the car was driven last. Are the tires hot or cold?
What I do know is that 30 psi is probably below spec, but I also know the low pressure warning light is not on and the car feels fine, so I drive home keeping an eye on the readout.
When I get home and open the door I check the jamb sticker. It tells me that the ATS should have 32 psi in its front tires and 35 psi in the rear. It's dark, I'm tired and I'll deal with it in the morning.
The next morning I climb aboard the ATS. It's 6:00 a.m. Still dark. And cold. Now the readout is telling me that the right front is down to 28 psi and the right rear is 29 psi. Still no warning light.
Seems odd. It's dark. I'm tired. I decide to drive the 100 miles to Willow Springs Raceway where I have business unrelated to the ATS. On the drive, the car feels fine and I notice that the pressures only climb a pound or two even after 100 miles on the road.
Five hours later my business is complete. It's time to drive home. But before I do, I borrow a tire gauge from the AMG engineer on site to prep the 35 Mercedes on hand for journalists to lap around the track. The inventory includes four new SLS AMG Black Series.
To my surprise the Caddy's tires are properly inflated; 32 psi front and 35 psi rear. All four are correct according to my German friend's gauge.
So I say to him, "That's odd. The car is telling me the tires are low, but your gauge tells me they are not."
He says in a very stern German accent, "I assure you my gauge is correct. You should drive a Mercedes."
We'll have the Caddy's Tire Pressure Monitoring System checked at its next dealer visit.
Never has the term glovebox been so appropriate. One glove is about all you can fit in the 2013 Cadillac ATS's dashboard compartment. That notepad in the picture doesn't fit and it's not exactly big.
Granted, some of the space is taken up by the owner's manual which you could conceivably take out, but then you have to put it somewhere else in the car which defeats the whole purpose of opening up extra room in the glove box.
Clearly, the DVD player for the navigation system is one of the culprits. Without it, there would be considerably more space. It's easy to say there must be a better place for it, but I'm sure there's a good reason why that DVD player resides where it does. Still, would be nice to have space for both of my gloves.
Mike Monticello is crazy. And his gluteus maximus is obviously oddly shaped.
Back in April Mike wrote with poison pen about the driver's seat in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS. He wrote, "I've spent several days in the ATS now, and I just can't seem to find a position that's truly comfortable for me. The stuffing, in both the seat cushion and the seatback, is just too dang hard for those long-haul days in the saddle."
As I said, the man is crazy. I love the seat in the ATS. Unlike Mike's buttocks, it is shaped to perfection. And, despite Mike's words, it is not too hard, nor is it too soft. I personally find it to be comfortable for short trips as well as long-haul days in the saddle.
Don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their opinion, regardless of how incorrect it may be.
Nice job, Cadillac. Sorry, Mike.
After Mr. Oldham observed what he suggested was an anomalous TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS, I was intrigued. So I gave it a whirl.
First thing on a cool morning I measured the tire pressures with my trusty gauge. Then I fired up the ATS and looked at the pressures reported by the car's TPMS.
The result? My gauge consistently read one psi lower than what the TPMS reported for each tire, a result which I consider to be well within any reasonable expectation of gauge-to-gauge variability.
Doesn't mean nothing's wrong, mind you. Just goes to show that there is a LOT of variability among tire pressure gauges, be they handheld or transducer-based.
I'm going to belabor the point. The ATS's center stack has no knobs and no real buttons. This makes life in the car slower and more difficult. Now that we've lived with it for a while, I feel like CUE is just cost-cutting masquerading as progress.
Groan.
I might not love CUE, but Cadillac did get the 2013 ATS's shift paddles right. They are placed well, sized right and offer both precision and perfect effort in use. Their throw is short and the transmission's response is quick. Though they don't feel mechanical, they do produce a sense of solidity as you toggle through the gears.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS is about to leave our long-term road test fleet after a year of service. November saw over 2,000 miles added to the odometer, and although no new highs or lows were recorded, the needle did move up a bit thanks to some time on the open highway.
Lifetime mpg stayed pretty much the same, going from 22.1 mpg to 22.2. That's not terrible, but it's still 1.8 mpg (7.5 percent) lower than the EPA's 24 mpg combined estimate for the Cadillac. Clearly, depending on your driving style, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine is not necessarily the most frugal option, especially when you consider that the ATS's optional V6 engine is not far behind with a 22 mpg combined EPA fuel economy rating.
Worst Fill MPG: 12.6 mpg
Best Fill MPG: 30.6 mpg
Average Lifetime MPG: 22.6 mpg
EPA MPG Rating: 24 Combined (21 City/31 Highway)
Best Range: 432.9 miles
Current Odometer: 19,865 miles.
Our 2013 Cadillac ATS's traffic data takes too long to load. Sometimes the delay between starting the car and the appearance of traffic data on the car's navigation screen is more than five minutes.
In many instances — those where I'd use the data to make an immediate route decision — this problem renders the data useless. By the time it appears, I've already committed to my route.
Of course, my smart phone offers the same information in a matter of seconds, so there's hardly an excuse.
Over a recent holiday weekend, I took our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS up and down the state of California, to visit family in Temecula and Nevada City. About halfway through the 1,200-mile road trip, the "Change Engine Oil Soon" message lit up, so I investigated.
The oil life indicator on the ATS said oil life was still at 5 percent so I wasn't worried, but I checked the oil anyway.
The oil level was fine and while it was a bit dirty, it definitely didn't need an emergency roadside change. So I shut the hood and finished the road trip with a clean conscience. Now that the ATS is back at home in Los Angeles, we'll schedule our next service visit.
After almost exactly a year in our long-term test fleet, the 2013 Cadillac ATS has rolled over 20,000 miles. Since its last service, the ATS has developed a squeaky door panel and one of the door-handle approach lights has gone out, but it has had no major mechanical issues.
The service manual suggests that we have the oil changed and the tires rotated at 22,500 miles and since we know the car is due for an oil change, we'll likely have both services performed on the next visit to the dealer.
A year into our long-term road test, I still really enjoy the Cadillac. It may have cramped rear headroom and the CUE infotainment system is far from perfect. But it is comfortable and lively, and it looks good. Driving it has whetted my appetite for both the 2015 ATS Coupe and the ATS-V.
To my eye, the 2013 Cadillac ATS doesn't look like it would be particularly light on its feet. But turn hard into the first corner you come to and this entry-level luxury sedan feels considerably smaller than it really is.
The Caddy turns in like...right now. The smallish-diameter wheel only serves to heighten the sensation. There's also fantastic grip from the tires.
After the Cadillac blazed through a turn the other day, the experience barely raising its pulse at all, I tried to remember just what kind of numbers this thing is capable of putting down.
So I looked up our last test. It averaged 70.4 mph through our slalom. That's impressive.
In the month of December, our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS spun an additional near-1,100 miles onto its odometer and consumed 49.5 gallons of 91-octane fuel. That equates to 22.1 miles per gallon for the month, which is almost bang-on its lifetime average of 22.2 mpg.
As of December, we've also cleared 20,000 miles in this entry-level luxury sport sedan, so we've got a comprehensive sample set for its fuel economy characteristics. We're trailing its EPA combined mpg by 1.8 mpg.
Worst Fill MPG: 12.6
Best Fill MPG: 30.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 22.2
EPA MPG Rating: 24 Combined (21 City/31 Highway)
Best Range: 432.9 miles
Current Odometer: 20,596
Note: Cars are sometimes refueled before their fuel tanks are nearly empty. As such, "best" and "worst" fuel economy entries above are not necessarily the result of an entire tank's worth of driving.
I grabbed the keys for our 2013 Cadillac ATS yesterday because it had been months since I last drove it. It's nearing the end of its time with us and I wanted to see if the 20,850 miles it's experienced at our hands had made a difference. Driving from the office yesterday, it felt weird.
And not weird like the miles had taken their toll like they did with our 2008 Cadillac CTS. Weird like a wheel was out of round or it had a loose lug nut. The car behaved strangely on the freeway, incongruously "nibbling" on some seams and grooves but not others with hard-to-define wiggles and shimmies.
When I arrived home (lacking a torque wrench), I did a quick visual check. All seemed fine. But this morning, I checked the cold tire pressures from the menu on the instrument panel. Voila. Here's the reason: All but one tire was out of spec for tire pressure (according to the car itself). Of the three remaining, one was high, and the other two were low.
Now, we often receive test cars with all four tires consistently running about 3 psi low, because some of the companies out there that prep "press fleet" vehicles still don't set the pressures correctly. They set warm tires to the cold specification which turns out to be about 10% off, or around 3 psi assuming 32-35 psi is correct. (Don't get me started on all the reasons this bugs me). This is why there's a half-hour pre-test protocol for every car we test. But we can't blame them for our car. This time it's on us.
Armed with our portable compressor and calibrated pressure gauge, I've set the pressures correctly. I believe this will make a difference for my drive home tonight. I'll follow up with a comment here.
The other day our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS threw up the "dead headlight" warning you see above.
Not one to blindly follow our electronic overlords, I checked out the situation firsthand:
Um...well, on the plus side, at least the headlight works. Not sure the same can be said about its diagnostic system.
With the "Change Engine Oil Soon" notification impossible to ignore, we celebrated the one-year anniversary of our 2013 Cadillac ATS with service at a nearby dealership, Martin Cadillac.
The service was covered by Cadillac and included an oil change, cabin air filter replacement and tire rotation. We also asked our advisor to check on the wheel alignment, a strange air conditioning noise, a rough idle and a non-functioning rear door handle approach light. He didn't push too hard after we declined his offer for a wiper blade replacement and throttle body cleaning. A nebulous "not today" was his estimated completion time for the repairs.
He wasn't kidding. After no word for two days, we followed up and found that the door handle needed to be replaced but it arrived unpainted. Painting the handle to match our black ATS added to the delay. He promised we'd have the car by noon the next day. We received a call this time around, informing us our long-termer was good to go.
All issues were resolved to our satisfaction. Except for the $159 alignment, the rest of the repairs were covered under warranty.
And with that, our little Caddy is as good as new and ready for its next owner.
Total Cost: $159
Total Days out of Service: 4
Last summer, I took a road trip in our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS and commented on the clear output from the xenon headlights. We got our ATS in the Premium trim level, so these headlights are standard. This is what the light output looks like in a dark garage.
The light output is strong, with a clear cutoff at the top of the beam. Along a dark country road the headlights cast a wide beam and they're aimed low enough that they don't seem to blind oncoming drivers. If I were purchasing an ATS, this is a feature I'd require.
That's not a slam, as the 2013 Cadillac ATS is a pretty solid, sporting sedan. It's just not Cadillac material.
Color me old school, but I like my Cadillacs luxurious and quiet. Correct me if I'm wrong but they're still a luxury brand, aren't they? And leather seats do not a luxury car make.
I'd argue the ATS is just begging for a Pontiac badge. It's got, by all accounts, a fantastic chassis and a very sporting disposition, especially if you opt for rear-wheel drive and the six-speed manual transmission. But the noisy engine and the, at times, much too busy ride, undermine any attempt by GM to make this a true Cadillac.
To make it a proper Pontiac (say, "add body cladding" and I'll smack you) simplify that infotainment nonsense, give it some cloth/leather sport seats, black out the chrome trim, and chip a few grand off the price. Tune the less than luxurious four-cylinder engine to have more of a growl and the stiff-ish ride delivered by the low-pro tires would go almost unnoticed. Now you've got the makings for a good American sports sedan.
I'd call it the Tempest and Cadillac could go back to making true luxury cars.
Is GM hiring product planners?
We accumulated 735 miles on our 2013 Cadillac ATS in January. For the most part, the ATS sat parked with a for sale sign in the window. It wasn't too long before the Cadillac sold. More on that in a later post.
Consider these the final fuel economy calculations for our 14-month test.
Worst Fill MPG: 12.6 mpg
Best Fill MPG: 30.6 mpg
Average Lifetime MPG: 22.1 mpg
EPA MPG Rating: 24 combined (21 city/31 highway)
Best Range: 432.9 miles
Current Odometer: 21,566 miles
Our long-term 2013 Cadillac ATS has a pair of new owners: Karren, chief human resources officer for Edmunds and her friend, Kenneth. Kenneth previously owned a 2005 Cadillac CTS, and as it was beginning to show some signs of age, was looking for a replacement with more modern features.
Karren and Kenneth took the ATS for a test-drive and were impressed by its handling and also its safety technology. The Edmunds Editors had listed it as a "Top Recommended Sedan" for 2013, which was a plus in their eyes.
Since our Cadillac ATS was the "Premium" trim level, it came with a ton of features, such as the driver-awareness package, side blind-zone alert, rear cross-traffic alert and more. It was a lot of car for the money. Here's how the numbers broke down.
Edmunds employees pay private party TMV, which in this case was $36,285. For reference, this car had a sticker price of $51,510 and we paid $48,567 (before tax and title) when we bought it last year. This was a depreciation of about 25 percent, which is in line with our average of 22 percent, given that we kept the car a couple months past the one-year mark.
We wish Karren and Kenneth well and hope they enjoy the 2013 Cadillac ATS as much as we did.
Wrap-Up
What We Got
The 2013 Cadillac ATS was the all-new model in the brand's lineup. The fact that it was aimed directly at the segment-leading BMW 3 Series made it all the more intriguing. We knew we wanted one, so the only decision left was deciding just how to equip it.
Equipment options were extensive. There were three engines: a 202-horsepower 2.5-liter inline-4; a 321-hp 3.6-liter V6; and a 272-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. We opted for the turbo, which offered the best balance of power and fuel economy.
The option decisions didn't stop at the engine. We chose rear-wheel drive, which saved a few bucks. We wanted an automatic transmission and the Cadillac CUE infotainment system with navigation. It wasn't hard to find a car with these features, but it was hard to find one with these alone. Time was a factor, too. We didn't want to wait. The unit we ultimately bought was a top-tier ATS Premium with the Driver Assistance package ($3,200), sunroof ($1,050) and 18-inch polished wheels ($850). Our total was $48,566.
We looked forward to testing our tech-heavy ATS, and it wasn't long before the impressions rolled in.
Our Impressions
"I took my first drive ever in the ATS this week, and this car put a smile on my face. I really like the way it rides. It's firm, controlled, even sporty, yet there's an underlying compliance to it. It reminds me a lot of the last two generations of the BMW 3 Series (E90 and F30). That's a good thing, of course, especially since our long-term ATS is priced in 328i territory. The steering is very good, too. It's precise with good feel. Again, like a 3 Series. I can totally see taking this sedan on a back road someday. But in that case, I'll definitely have to shift the six-speed automatic manually to make sure I stay in the power. Often during my commute, the engine rpm would fall enough that there wasn't much turbo boost to work with and the ATS felt slow.... But never mind that. A mediocre turbo four-cylinder isn't going to dampen my enthusiasm for the small Cadillac's excellent chassis." — Erin Riches
"Recently, I got a lot of seat time in our ATS. It was a good opportunity to see how the car's traits (both good and bad) affected me over a longer duration.... The backseat is small for this class of car. Yet I never really found it to be an issue. Granted, I never had to drive around other adults in the rear of the ATS, just my two small children.... I also warmed up to the CUE interface. Yes, it's totally fair to say that BMW's iDrive or Mercedes' COMAND interfaces are easier to operate. But as touchscreen interfaces go, this one's still quite good. It responds quickly to touches and I found the haptic feedback to be useful.... The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine's sound really started to bug me after a while...the tone just isn't pleasing during hard acceleration. The power's there, but it doesn't sound happy about making it.... The ride is pretty firm, and for common use I'd prefer to have greater suspension compliance.... There really is a lot to like about the ATS, but the big picture qualities sort of get damped down by annoying little things. It's trivial, but in this segment the trivial is important." — Brent Romans
"I love getting to know our long-term cars on the open road. After driving to Monterey, California, and back in our ATS Premium 2.0T, though, I'm convinced it's not quite up to par in the entry-level luxury sedan class. One issue for me is the ride quality. If I lived on California's Central Coast, I could totally deal with our ATS's firm ride. (You'll recall that choosing a rear-wheel-drive Premium model locks in summer tires and a sport-tuned suspension with adaptive dampers.) The roads are smooth up here, especially U.S. 101, and the default Tour mode for the adaptive dampers is livable. But I wouldn't buy an ATS Premium if I continued to live in Southern California. It rides too harshly over worn sections of freeway. I've driven rival sedans with sport package upgrades over these same roads, and most of them offered more compliance." — Erin Riches
"At the test track, auto upshifts are quick and reasonably gentle. There's a little bit of a torque deficit at the very bottom of the rev range, but it quickly disappears as the tach swings past 2-3K rpm. I generally like the feel of the engine, but it doesn't have what I'd call a personality.... The steering is not what I'd call communicative, but it isn't noisy or syrupy either. I get just enough information about the front tires' grip and the precision remains.... Steering response is crisp, without unnecessary weight in the steering effort. Nicely sculpted/contoured wheel. Very good balance overall with a delicacy and precision that is sadly becoming a rarity." — Chris Walton
"One of the most jarring features of our ATS is the touch-sensitive interface for the stereo, climate controls and the CUE telematics system.... It goes way beyond the knobless volume control JayKav mentioned previously, although that element is perhaps the most frustrating and prominent aspect of the system. This particular touchpad is oddly calibrated in that you can't reliably reach zero volume when you drag your finger across it to the extreme left edge of the pad.... I tend to see it as a bit of smoke and mirrors. All of the touchpads tell me the wow factor and a design concept won out over everyday usability, particularly for the more basic functions.... What you still can't see is the lag in the system and the odd haptic feedback that vibrates under your touch as if to say, 'I know your command wasn't immediately carried out, but the message was received. I'm on it'.... It's an interesting exercise in the application of technology, particularly the proximity sensors wired to the touchscreen, but I can't shake the feeling that we've taken one step forward and two swipes back." — Dan Edmunds
"I'm going to belabor the point. The ATS's center stack has no knobs and no real buttons. This makes life in the car slower and more difficult. Now that we've lived with it for a while, I feel like CUE is just cost-cutting masquerading as progress. Groan." — Josh Jacquot
"Back in April Mike wrote with poison pen about the driver seat in our ATS. He wrote, 'I've spent several days in the ATS now, and I just can't seem to find a position that's truly comfortable for me. The stuffing, in both the seat cushion and the seatback, is just too dang hard for those long-haul days in the saddle.' As I said, the man is crazy. I love the seat in the ATS. Unlike Mike's buttocks, it is shaped to perfection. And, despite Mike's words, it is not too hard, nor is it too soft. I personally find it to be comfortable for short trips as well as long-haul days in the saddle. Don't get me wrong; everyone is entitled to their opinion, regardless of how incorrect it may be." — Scott Oldham
"The comfortable cabin [of the ATS] is accommodating to most passengers, the suspension is firm but not harsh, and once you get used to CUE there is plenty of entertainment available for those lulls in conversation that happen over long miles. One glitch, however. The nav system froze up on the way there. We solved this by turning off the car and restarting. All was well after that." — Donna DeRosa
"When the Cadillac slipped under 50 miles of range, the computer simply told me the range was 'low.' I would've loved to know exactly how far I had left, especially with a possible range record coming up for the ATS.... After driving 30 miles on unfamiliar rural highways, I gave in and stopped for gas. 432.9 miles on one tank, a new record! The ATS took just over 16 gallons of fuel, which is apparently the exact size of the tank." — Travis Langness
"The ATS 2.0T's trunk is generously wide at the opening, but things get tight further back in the cargo area. I found out just how narrow it gets at the wheelwells when I folded down the rear seats and tried to put a mountain bike in through the trunk. The pass-through is plenty tall enough for this maneuver, but definitely not wide enough. I had to lower the seat post all the way down to get the bike in (besides taking off the front wheel, of course). And even then it was a total squeeze-fest... the ATS's 10.2-cubic-foot trunk is on the small side for the class. The BMW 3 Series offers 11 cubic feet of space and the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class measure 12.4 cubic feet." — Mike Monticello
Maintenance & Repairs
Regular Maintenance:
The Cadillac Premium Care Maintenance program pays the bill for routine maintenance over the first four years or 50,000 miles. The manual specifies tire rotations at 7,500-mile intervals and oil changes as dictated by its onboard computer. Our only out-of-pocket expense in this department was a $159 wheel alignment, which is arguably beyond the parameters of "regular" maintenance.
Service Campaigns:
A handful of issues arose during our test. The steering wheel inflatable restraint (SIR) coil and steering wheel sensor were replaced. TSBs to update the seat-memory system, tighten the turbo manifold connection and update CUE software were also performed. A burnt-out door handle approach light, as with all of these items, was replaced under warranty.
We encountered some mystery items also. There was the erroneous right low beam failure warning light. Don't forget the PRND lights that flickered for no discernible reason. The power steering malfunction warning also had us scratching our heads. Most of these appeared a couple of times and never again.
Fuel Economy and Resale Value
Observed Fuel Economy:
The EPA rated our 2013 Cadillac ATS turbo at 24 mpg combined (21 city/31highway). We averaged 22 mpg during our test. Our best single tank was 31 mpg. Though it fell short on fuel economy projections, its range was impressive. The ATS went as far as 432 miles between fill-ups.
Resale and Depreciation:
We purchased our Cadillac ATS for $48,566. After 14 months and 21,566 miles, Edmunds' TMV® Calculator valued the Cadillac at $36,285 based on a private-party sale. And we found a private party to pay exactly that amount. This marked 25 percent depreciation from our original paid price.
Summing Up
Pros: Good combination of power and responsiveness from turbocharged engine; admirable handling for a sedan; precise steering feel; quiet interior; modern electronics features; free maintenance program.
Cons: Ride can be choppy with optional sport suspension; engine doesn't sound particularly refined; CUE infotainment system takes some getting used to; fuel economy was below EPA estimates; tight backseat.
Bottom Line: The ATS is Cadillac's best small sedan in a long time. It combines sharp handling and a responsive engine with a comfortable, well-built interior. Some electrical gremlins and occasional frustration with the user interface are the only things that kept us from considering it a top-tier sedan in the entry-level luxury class.
| Total Body Repair Costs: | None |
| Total Routine Maintenance Costs: | None (over 14 months) |
| Additional Maintenance Costs: | $159 for wheel alignment |
| Warranty Repairs: | Replace steering wheel inflatable restraint (SIR) coil, replace steering wheel sensor, update seat memory system, tighten turbo manifold connection, update CUE software, replace burnt-out approach light. |
| Non-Warranty Repairs: | None |
| Scheduled Dealer Visits: | 2 |
| Unscheduled Dealer Visits: | 1 |
| Days Out of Service: | 24 |
| Breakdowns Stranding Driver: | None |
| Best Fuel Economy: | 30.6 mpg |
| Worst Fuel Economy: | 12.6 mpg |
| Average Fuel Economy: | 22.1 mpg |
| True Market Value at service end: | $36,285 (private-party sale) |
| What It Sold for: | $36,285 |
| Depreciation: | $12,281 (25% of paid price) |
| Final Odometer Reading: | 21,566 miles |
Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.